Digital twins and cybersecurity: risks and opportunities for smart manufacturing

The speed of smart manufacturing is something we’ve never seen before.  Ten years ago, it would have been hard to imagine how automation, connectivity, and data-driven insights would change shop floors and supply chains.  The digital twin is the technology that has quietly but deeply changed how manufacturers work at the heart of this change.

A digital twin is not just a virtual model; it’s a living, breathing copy of a physical asset, system, or process that changes in real time as conditions change.  Digital twins give manufacturers a powerful new way to see, predict, and improve their operations, whether they are keeping an eye on the health of their equipment or the performance of their supply chain.

There are clear benefits.  Predictive maintenance cuts down on expensive downtime.  Virtual testing speeds up product development without the risks that come with real prototypes.  Energy optimisation gets more accurate, which helps manufacturers save money and reach their sustainability goals.  Digital twins can help leaders who want to be responsible in the long term cut down on waste, lower emissions, and make sure that production is in line with global ESG commitments.  They are not just the next step in making industries more efficient; they also show that people are starting to make smarter, more strategic decisions.

But the same things that make digital twins so useful—connectivity, integration, and real-time insights—also make them very risky.  Cybersecurity is one of the biggest problems right now.

When companies combine IT systems, operational technology, cloud platforms, and a lot of IoT devices, they make a digital ecosystem that is both connected and open to attack.  An attacker could get into the system through any of its nodes.  It’s no longer a question of whether digital twins are useful; they are.  The real question is whether companies can use them in a way that keeps them safe.

A problem with cybersecurity that Is getting worse

 Managing risk isn’t new for manufacturers, but digital twins make things even more complicated.  A compromised twin is not just a data problem because it affects important operations in real time.  It poses a real threat to operations.  A manipulated data stream could stop a production line or lead to wrong maintenance decisions, which could cost money, cause delays, or even put people in danger.

The part about intellectual property is just as worrying.  Digital twins often have sensitive plans, secret processes, and competitive knowledge.  A breach could mean that years of expensive research and development end up in the hands of competitors or hackers.  This isn’t just a hypothetical situation; it’s becoming more and more real as advanced manufacturing becomes a bigger target for state-sponsored actors and organised cybercrime networks.

One reason for the vulnerability is that IT and OT have come together.  Industrial systems used to be pretty separate from each other.  Now that there are layered integrations like cloud, edge computing, sensors, and connected machines, a small problem can spread throughout the whole system and cause a lot more trouble.  As manufacturers use digital twins more and more to make decisions, the effects of these kinds of problems get worse.

Why trust is important

Even with these risks, I still have a positive outlook.  I think that cybersecurity should not be seen as a problem, but as a base.  Security is what makes new ideas possible.  A digital twin can’t do its job if you don’t trust it, its data, and its outputs.  But manufacturers can be sure that they can come up with new ideas if they have the right protections in place.

This means you need to change the way you think.  Cybersecurity can’t be added on after the fact; it has to be built into the design from the start.  The plan should include strong identity controls, data encryption, access restrictions, and constant monitoring.  Factories today already make a lot of sensor data.  By keeping an eye on these flows smartly, you can find problems early, whether they are caused by system failures or someone trying to mess with the system.

It also needs good management.  Cybersecurity can’t just be a technical issue that IT teams deal with.  It should be talked about in board meetings along with risks to the company’s finances, operations, and reputation.  Organisations can set priorities and respond quickly when problems come up when executives and boards see it as a strategic issue instead of a technical one.

Creating trust online

Digital trust is an important part of my work at Forvis Mazars.  This is about a lot more than just technical safety.  It’s about making sure that everyone—manufacturers, customers, regulators, and business partners—can trust the systems that are being used.  Being open, responsible, and strong builds trust.

A manufacturer can trust that its digital twin’s predictions are correct and use them to make better decisions when trust is high.  Customers and regulators can be sure that both the quality of operations and the safety of private information are good.  Trust is what makes the digital twin go from being a promising new idea to a key part of modern manufacturing.

This can’t be done with technology alone.  People are just as important.  Anyone who works in the factory ecosystem, whether they are fixing machines, securing devices, or just following data protocols, is part of the overall cyber defense.  Also, leadership is important because it puts training, communication, and governance structures at the top of the list. These structures make cybersecurity a part of the bigger transformation journey instead of just a side issue.

What to expect

 Digital twins will become even more powerful as edge AI, 5G networks, and new technologies like quantum computing come together. But this will also make the risks greater.  The gap between people who just use digital twins and people who use them safely will become more important for competitiveness and resilience in manufacturing.

It’s clear that digital twins are no longer an option for manufacturers who want to stay ahead of the curve.  They are becoming more and more important for new ideas, efficiency, and the environment.  But they have to be put in place in a responsible way.  I think the next conversation won’t be about whether or not to use digital twins, but about how to do so safely and with trust at the center.

Manufacturers who can find the right balance between taking advantage of new opportunities and making cybersecurity a strategic priority will not only stay competitive, but they will also shape the future of Industry 5.0.  The real source of long-term advantage is in that balance.

This article was published in Manufacturing Today on 25 September 2025. Read here