Milton Keynes, England – September 10, 2026 -- Rockwell Automation has launched a new cybersecurity-focused season of its ROKStudios video series, as fresh data shows nearly half of manufacturers reported a cyber incident in the past year.
Rising IT/OT convergence drives operational risk for manufacturers
The new season, drawing on Rockwell's 11th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report, documents how increasing connectivity between IT and operational technology environments is expanding the attack surface for industrial operators. The company states that cyber risk has shifted from an episodic concern to an ongoing operational requirement as manufacturers scale AI, automation and connected systems.
Executives from Mondelez and William Grant & Sons detail resilience strategies
Andrew Peckston, head of supply chain cybersecurity and infrastructure at Mondelēz International, discusses embedding cybersecurity into supply chain strategy and aligning IT and OT teams across global operations. Steve Lynn, director of engineering at William Grant & Sons, outlines foundational OT security practices including asset visibility, network segmentation and disciplined risk management.
Regulatory pressure from the Cyber Resilience Act reshapes lifecycle security
Maria Else, global product manager for cybersecurity at Rockwell Automation, and John Speakman, director of cybersecurity services for EMEA, examine how evolving regulations, including the Cyber Resilience Act and machine regulations, require manufacturers to embed security across the full product lifecycle, from design through operation and ongoing support. Barry Long, business manager for lifecycle services in the UK and Ireland, addresses "operational fragility" stemming from aging assets, workforce shortages and rising cyber threats.
"Cybersecurity has become fundamental to operational resilience,