• 1660254882012 Dmdiirahmsb

    DOD-backed DMDII Cyber Hub for Manufacturing enables cybersecurity technology experimentation for factory floor

    March 13, 2018
    The Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute announced the launch of a ā€œCyber Hub for Manufacturingā€ with $750,000 in seed funding from the U.S. Department of Defense
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    "This is the way you win the future," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel at the DMDII event

    The Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute (DMDII) today announced the launch of a ā€œCyber Hub for Manufacturingā€ with $750,000 in seed funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The hub will serve as a testbed for the creation and adoption of new cybersecurity technologies to secure manufacturing shop floors across the United States and complements DMDIIā€™s public-private partnership as one of the Manufacturing USA institutes sponsored by DOD to advance digital manufacturing in America.

    ā€œThe launch of the Cyber Hub for Manufacturing embodies why DMDII exists,ā€ said DMDII Executive Director Thomas McDermott. ā€œWe need to think about securing our manufacturing equipment the way we secure our laptops, and the complexity of this issue means our partners will get there much faster by working together.ā€

    The threat of cyberattacks against the manufacturing sector is complex and growing. Manufacturers are connecting more equipment to the internet to compile and analyze data to make better business decisions. With increased connectivity comes a higher likelihood of a breach, and a cyberattack on physical equipment threatens worker safety and the integrity of the products being deployed to users (e.g., a defect in a vehicle component).

    ā€œAs the manufacturing sector becomes more intertwined with advanced technology, data, and robotics, it is increasingly important that our manufacturers are prepared to face cybersecurity threats,ā€ said Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). ā€œThis new cyber hub will be an extension of DMDIIā€™s innovative work of making Americaā€™s manufacturing industry more competitive and secure. I was an early advocate of DMDII, I have fought for a steady stream of federal funding, and I am proud to support DMDIIā€™s focus on cybersecurity.ā€

    Learn why small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) are particularly vulnerable and more in our sister publication Smart Industry's full report.