How Serious Are You About Cybersecurity?

A Reality Check for India's Manufacturing SMEs

- Pramood Waikar

With cybercrime on the rise, India's manufacturing SMEs are becoming prime targets for scams, phishing attacks and IP theft. The risks now threaten not only finances but business reputation and operational continuity. This article stresses the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures, including ISO 27001 practices, and highlights simple, affordable steps SMEs can take to protect their digital assets and secure future growth.

There is a story that made headlines last year which continues to haunt the manufacturing ecosystem in India. A boiler manufacturing company located in Pune's MIDC area became the unfortunate victim of what is commonly referred to as a "CEO fraud" scam. An accountant received a WhatsApp message that appeared to be from the company's director, urgently requesting that 1.95 crore be transferred for a business deal. The employee, believing the instruction to be legitimate, processed the transfer without additional verification. Only hours later did the company realise that the message was fake and the money had vanished.

This is not an isolated event and raises a critical question for every manufacturing business owner. Could your company be next?

The manufacturing sector has long been recognised as one of India’s strongest growth engines. It contributes significantly to employment generation, exports, operational excellence, and national GDP expansion. Within this wide ecosystem, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone. They are key enablers of innovation, industrial growth and international supply chain partnerships. There remains a concerning contrast; SMEs invest heavily in machinery and infrastructure, digital transformation, cybersecurity preparedness remains worryingly inadequate.

A Harsh Reality: SMEs are Prime Cyber Targets