Why Manufacturing CIOs Are Extending Zero Trust Inside the Factory
Zscaler , Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
Perimeter-based security models are unraveling in industrial environments where network boundaries have grown complex.
Traditional firewalls struggle to protect systems that now routinely connect across cloud services, remote monitoring workflows, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Many industrial systems, built before today's interconnected landscape, lack advanced security features and can't easily adapt to modern protection approaches.
Moving beyond perimeter-based security to deploy zero trust within the factory requires overcoming several key barriers-such as the inability to install agents on legacy devices, the need to minimize lateral threat movement, and the imperative to maintain uninterrupted production uptime. While traditional models fall short in these dynamic environments, Zscaler's agentless approach enables rapid, non-disruptive deployment across diverse OT systems. It delivers granular control, reduces the attack surface, and prevents lateral movement of threats like ransomware-all without compromising operational continuity.