Bridgestone Incident Highlights Growing Cyber Risks to Manufacturing

Scene at the Plant: Disruption Without Data Loss

Earlier this month, global tire manufacturer Bridgestone experienced a cyber incident that temporarily halted operations at two South Carolina plants and one in Quebec. Described as a “limited cyber incident”, the company responded swiftly and confirmed that no customer data or interfaces were affected.

While production was restored quickly, the implications go far beyond these individual sites. Even a contained disruption like this one signals a clear and growing threat to industrial systems—especially those that rely heavily on legacy OT (Operational Technology) infrastructure.

Why Contained Doesn’t Mean Harmless

Bridgestone’s response was commendable, but it also illustrates a deeper truth: you don’t need a full-blown data breach to suffer significant operational and reputational consequences.

In OT environments:

• Even short-term production halts can cause severe supply chain delays.
• Flat networks and legacy systems make it harder to detect and isolate threats.
• Threat actors may not aim for data exfiltration—but rather disruption, extortion, or long-term system infiltration.

And in industries like automotive manufacturing, where uptime is paramount, even “minor” events can cascade into customer dissatisfaction, contractual penalties, and revenue loss.

The 5 Pillars of OT Cybersecurity Readiness

The Bridgestone incident highlights the urgent need for a structured cybersecurity approach—not just in defense, but in preparation, detection, and resilience. These five foundational pillars offer a framework any industrial organization can adopt:

Final Thoughts: Cyber Disruptions Are the New Normal

Cyber incidents in OT are no longer rare—they’re routine. From Colonial Pipeline to JBS Foods to Bridgestone, no sector is immune. Yet many facilities still assume “it won’t happen here,” leaving critical infrastructure exposed.

OT cybersecurity must now be viewed as part of business continuity, safety, and resilience. The time to act is before an incident occurs: know your assets, control access, build response plans, and turn awareness into action.