Industrial companies are increasingly facing network challenges, with Kaspersky’s latest report revealing that one in three businesses encounter regular problems. The report, titled “Managing Geographically Distributed Businesses: Challenges and Solutions,” highlights the growing concerns related to network and information security issues in companies that operate across multiple locations.
The findings show that 45% of businesses experience network problems a few times a month, while only 12% of respondents said they face such challenges once a year or less. These numbers underscore the prevalence of network disruptions, particularly among geo-distributed companies, which rely on complex IT infrastructures to connect factories, branch offices, and other critical facilities located in various regions.
Operating with geographically dispersed infrastructure presents a unique set of problems. Companies must overcome logistical barriers, ensure smooth communication between locations, and maintain operational consistency. However, the added layer of IT infrastructure introduces further complications. Industrial enterprises face difficulties not only in coordinating day-to-day operations but also in implementing and monitoring cybersecurity measures across their network.
According to the Kaspersky report, nearly half (49%) of manufacturing companies identified the detection and resolution of cybersecurity incidents as their most difficult task. Monitoring the implementation of security protocols (46%) and developing a cohesive security policy (42%) also emerged as significant challenges for these businesses. The complexity of securing a distributed network makes it hard for companies to ensure comprehensive protection at every point in their system.
One of the most common issues highlighted in the report is the frequency of network outages and poor performance of services and applications. About 30% of respondents stated that they regularly encountered network failures, with 38% reporting that such problems occur one to three times a month. For 28% of respondents, these issues surfaced every few months, while a troubling 7% faced them weekly. Such disruptions can have severe consequences, causing delays in production, a decline in productivity, and loss of access to critical business information.
When network failures do occur, restoring operations can take time—time that directly impacts a company’s financial health. According to the report, 74% of respondents required between 1 and 5 hours to restore network functionality after a failure. For 15%, recovery took less than one hour, but for 10%, it could take up to a full working day. Prolonged downtimes are particularly costly, with potential financial losses reaching thousands of dollars per minute, not to mention the reputational damage that can result from recurring network issues.
Network problems do more than disrupt daily operations. They can erode customer trust, reduce productivity, and result in financial losses. Delays caused by network failures slow production and halt communication, preventing employees from accessing vital information. These cascading effects can lead to long-term damage, undermining a company’s ability to maintain customer satisfaction and secure its place in the competitive industrial market.
To address these challenges, companies need to take proactive measures to prevent network issues and ensure rapid recovery when problems arise. Kaspersky’s report outlines several recommendations for minimizing network problems and building comprehensive protection across industrial enterprises.
One of the key solutions is the use of OT (Operational Technology) XDR platforms, such as Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity (KICS). These platforms provide centralized asset and risk management, conduct security and compliance audits, and offer scalable protection for industrial networks. With recent updates, KICS now supports up to 100 monitoring points, allowing companies to build new software-defined networks between different branches, creating a more resilient and secure infrastructure.
Another recommendation is the adoption of Kaspersky SD-WAN, a specialized solution for managing corporate networks. This product integrates separate communication channels and network functions across the business, improving application performance and facilitating the construction of reliable networks for geo-distributed operations. Kaspersky SD-WAN helps streamline network management, ensuring smoother communication and faster response times in the event of a disruption.
For businesses seeking even more robust protection, the report suggests combining Kaspersky SD-WAN with Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity for Networks. This combination allows companies to establish centralized monitoring and protection systems by transferring a copy of industrial network traffic to a unified platform. This integrated approach provides scalability and high-quality network services, particularly important for industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) traffic.
The findings of Kaspersky’s report underline the importance of building resilient IT infrastructures in industrial companies, particularly those with geographically distributed operations. Without effective measures in place, network issues will continue to disrupt operations, causing financial and reputational harm. By adopting comprehensive security solutions and ensuring effective management of their networks, businesses can mitigate the risks and maintain operational continuity.
Industrial companies must prioritize the implementation of strategies designed to prevent network failures and quickly resolve incidents when they occur. This not only preserves the integrity of their operations but also safeguards their reputation in an increasingly competitive market.