A modern manufacturing plant no longer resembles the predictable, linear environment it once was. Today, machinery communicates with software, sensors predict failures before they occur, and industrial systems make autonomous decisions in milliseconds. This fusion of Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) is at the heart of digital transformation, but it also exposes factories to threats that traditional security models were never designed to handle.
Against this backdrop, Privileged Access Management for manufacturing (PAM) has become one of the most critical control layers for protecting industrial ecosystems. As manufacturers embrace automation, remote operations, AI-driven optimisation and cloud-connected machinery, PAM increasingly acts as the security backbone that keeps transformation safe, resilient, and compliant.
why manufacturing needs a new security playbook
Manufacturing facilities have long relied on Industrial Control Systems (ICS), SCADA platforms, PLCs, and robotic systems. These are all designed with reliability in mind, not cybersecurity. But the landscape has evolved. Plants now have thousands of privileged accounts: engineers remotely accessing PLCs, contractors maintaining OT systems, administrators managing cloud dashboards, and automation platforms interacting with machines.
This expanded attack surface means that a single compromised privileged credential can halt production, corrupt configurations, or disrupt safety systems. Breaches involving privileged accounts are costlier than typical attacks, averaging USD 4.92 million, especially when OT systems are impacted.
Digital transformation cannot advance without safeguarding the privileged pathways that keep plants operational.
PAM as the foundation of OT security for manufacturing
While cybersecurity tools often focus on perimeter protection, PAM secures what attackers seek most: privileged access to high-value systems. For manufacturing, this includes engineering workstations, ICS controllers, robotics interfaces, and remote management consoles.
Modern OT security for manufacturing demands granular control of who can access what, when and how. PAM solutions help restrict and monitor high-risk sessions involving PLCs, SCADA systems, and ICS assets, ensuring no unverified or unmonitored privileged activity occurs.
This becomes even more essential as the industry shifts from manual oversight to remote, automated operations.
bridging the gap: IT/OT convergence security
One of the defining shifts in Industry 4.0 is the merging of IT and OT environments. Enterprise resource planning systems talk to factory machines. AI algorithms analyse production data. Cloud services optimise throughput. This convergence improves efficiency but also extends cyber risk across both environments.
IT/OT convergence security requires PAM to enforce least privilege and ensure that identities traversing cloud applications, production databases, and OT networks do not expand the attack surface. PAM helps organisations limit lateral movement, enforce just-in-time access, and monitor privileged activities across hybrid environments, reducing the impact of credential misuse.
In converged ecosystems, PAM provides the control fabric, ensuring that digital transformation does not compromise operational stability.
how PAM secures industrial control systems
Industrial control systems are highly sensitive, where downtime risks a major impact. PAM adds essential discipline, transparency, and risk reduction to protect these environments by:
controlling privileged access to ICS components
No administrator or contractor can log into a PLC, SCADA system or HMI without authorisation tied to policy and validation.
enforcing least privilege at every access point
Rather than broad, static permissions, PAM ensures users receive only the access required for the specific task, and only for the required duration.
session monitoring and recording
Real-time oversight allows rapid detection of anomalies such as unauthorised configuration changes.
credential vaulting
Privileged passwords are securely stored and rotated automatically, preventing uncontrolled sharing across teams and contractors.
ensuring secure remote maintenance
A growing number of OEMs and service partners support machinery remotely. PAM ensures these high-risk connections remain controlled, audited and policy-aligned.
benefits of PAM in manufacturing
A strategic PAM programme delivers value far beyond security compliance. It supports scalability, resilience and operational excellence, all central to modern manufacturing transformation.
stronger security posture
By eliminating credential sprawl and uncontrolled access pathways, PAM reduces attack surfaces and improves readiness against cyber threats targeting OT.
improved operational visibility
Every privileged action becomes traceable, allowing quick incident response and enabling continuous improvement of digital workflows.
regulatory and audit readiness
Manufacturers operating in highly regulated sectors (pharma, automotive, aviation, utilities) gain structured access controls that simplify audits and demonstrate strong governance.
accelerated IT/OT integration
PAM allows IT and OT teams to collaborate more confidently, knowing that privileged interactions between systems are controlled and monitored.
improved productivity and reduced downtime
By streamlining secure remote access, automating credential management, and reducing manual oversight, engineering teams spend more time optimising operations rather than managing permissions.
how can Infosys BPM help you strengthen secure digital transformation?
Infosys BPM helps manufacturers embed PAM within a broader, secure digital transformation strategy. Through connected operations, smart manufacturing solutions, OT/IT integration support, advanced analytics, secure automation and engineering process optimisation, Infosys BPM builds the governance, visibility and control frameworks needed to protect identities, machines, and critical ICS assets.
frequently asked questions:
how does PAM reduce operational risk in IT/OT-converged manufacturing environments?
PAM reduces operational risk by enforcing least-privilege access across hybrid IT/OT pathways, limiting lateral movement, and tightly controlling high-risk access to ICS assets like SCADA, PLCs, and HMIs. It also adds continuous oversight through privileged session monitoring and policy-based access approvals, which helps prevent unauthorized changes that can trigger downtime or safety exposure.
what should manufacturers prioritize first when implementing PAM without disrupting plant operations?
Start by inventorying privileged identities (human, contractor, and non-human/service accounts) and then prioritizing the “crown jewel” access paths into ICS/engineering workstations and remote maintenance entry points. Next, implement credential vaulting/rotation and just-in-time access for those highest-risk sessions before expanding coverage across broader IT/OT integration workloads.
how does PAM strengthen secure remote maintenance by OEMs and third parties?
PAM secures remote maintenance by ensuring third-party connections are authenticated, time-bound, and policy-controlled, rather than relying on shared or static credentials. Session monitoring/recording and auditable access trails make privileged activity traceable, which supports faster incident response and stronger governance over vendor access.
which PAM outcomes matter most for leadership teams evaluating ROI in manufacturing?
Leadership-relevant outcomes typically include reduced attack surface from credential sprawl, lower probability of high-impact incidents tied to privileged credential misuse, and improved audit readiness through consistent access governance. Operationally, PAM can also reduce downtime risk and improve engineering productivity by streamlining secure access and automating credential management.
