New research from Cyolo found that 67 percent of respondents across the manufacturing sector identified improved third-party collaboration as the leading benefit of secure remote access. Fifty-eight percent reported increased operational efficiency, while half cited significant cost savings. These findings suggest that secure access is more than just a protective measure, as it creates measurable value across the enterprise. The shift challenges the long-standing narrative in the manufacturing sector and comes as the research challenges common assumptions that cybersecurity hinders productivity, showing that these leaders increasingly see secure remote access as a catalyst for business growth and operational efficiency.
Titled ‘Can Cybersecurity Drive Growth? The Strategic Role of Secure Remote Access in Manufacturing,’ the Cyolo report recognizes that as manufacturers accelerate their Industry 4.0 transformations, with increasing digitalization, connectivity, and AI (artificial intelligence) adoption, secure remote access has become a foundational pillar for achieving measurable operational improvements, business gains, and sustained competitive advantage.
Backed by analyst insights, the survey was commissioned by Cyolo and conducted by Takepoint Research across North America and EMEA with 535 qualified respondents, including CISOs, CIOs, OT (operational technology) security leads, operations managers, and plant engineers.
“This report examines how global manufacturers are finally beginning to see cybersecurity as a business enabler rather than an inhibitor,” Almog Apirion, CEO and co-founder of Cyolo, said in a media statement. “Manufacturing today is about value creation, speed, and agility. This study shows that when implemented in the right way, secure remote access can become a catalyst for faster innovation, improved uptime, and greater productivity. In short, better cybersecurity means a bigger bottom line.”
The Cyolo report highlighted that AI adoption is gaining ground across the manufacturing sector. More than 96 percent of respondents plan to integrate AI into their remote access security strategies. Anticipated benefits include improved real-time threat detection and response, cited by 61 percent, enhanced compliance noted by 47 percent, and proactive risk identification highlighted by 38 percent.
Vendor access is widespread and often prioritized over internal access. Eighty-eight percent of manufacturers grant remote access to third parties for a wide range of operational tasks, while only 54 percent extend the same privileges to internal employees. Sixty percent allow more than 100 external parties, including vendors, contractors, suppliers, and OEMs, to connect remotely to their operational environments. This level of third-party access introduces significant risk if not managed with robust security controls and clear policies.
Security practices long embedded in IT are starting to take hold in operational technology environments. Sixty-nine percent of respondents have deployed multi-factor authentication, and 34 percent have begun implementing zero trust strategies. These steps reflect a growing shift toward modern security frameworks that are better suited for today’s complex OT landscapes.
Compliance continues to drive secure remote access adoption, particularly across Europe. The survey points to a two-way relationship between compliance and secure remote access. Regulatory pressure is a major motivator for adoption, especially in EMEA, where cybersecurity mandates are more rigorous. Thirty percent of EMEA respondents identified compliance requirements as a primary factor, compared to just 19 percent in North America. At the same time, secure remote access is helping organizations meet and maintain compliance, with 42 percent reporting that it directly improves their ability to adhere to regulatory standards.
Despite broad adoption, satisfaction with the current secure remote access for OT solutions, especially with the user experience, is low. 42 percent of respondents rated their current secure remote access security measures as ineffective for protecting OT environments, and the average user experience (UX) satisfaction score is just 2.5 out of 5. However, less than seven percent are very satisfied with their existing secure remote access for OT measures.
The Cyolo report found that 69 percent have deployed multi-factor authentication (MFA) and 47 percent have adopted role-based access control (RBAC). Smaller but still significant numbers have started zero trust implementation (34 percent) or continuous monitoring and auditing of user activities (28 percent). All survey respondents have adopted at least one of the aforementioned practices, signaling important progress toward adaptive security models, with room for ongoing improvement.
Regulatory compliance acts as a powerful catalyst for SRA adoption, particularly in more tightly governed regions. Also, while compliance drives SRA adoption, SRA itself enables organizations to meet and sustain compliance obligations. 42 percent of surveyed organizations report that SRA has helped improve or maintain compliance post-deployment. Looking ahead, 47 percent believe AI will play a crucial role in advancing compliance posture and strengthening risk management capabilities.
Cyolo also recognized that the manufacturing industry shows clear enthusiasm for the role of AI in secure remote access. Organizations report realized or expected benefits, including improved real-time threat detection and response (61 percent), better compliance and risk management (47 percent), and proactive identification of issues before they escalate (38 percent). This comes as fewer than four percent have no plans to incorporate AI into their remote access security strategy.
To realize the full business value of secure remote access, the Cyolo report called upon organizations to focus on five priorities. They should start by positioning secure remote access as a core enabler of uptime, agility, and innovation. Framing it this way helps build alignment across teams and secures executive buy-in. Next, designing the strategy around usability and adoption is essential. Intuitive, user-friendly interfaces are especially important for frontline employees and third-party users. Reducing friction leads to higher adoption rates and better adherence to security policies.
Implementing adaptive, risk-based controls can further elevate security posture. Instead of relying solely on static rules, organizations should use contextual factors such as device health, user behavior, and location to guide access decisions. This approach supports zero trust principles and least privilege access. It also identified that visibility and monitoring need to improve. Centralized session logging and real-time tracking offer better governance, help detect threats sooner, and enable faster responses to potential issues.
Finally, organizations should begin testing AI capabilities in high-value areas. Early pilots in anomaly detection or dynamic access control can deliver quick wins, build trust among stakeholders, and create momentum for broader, more secure AI adoption at scale.
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