Whether we like it or not, manufacturing is becoming digitized and connected. Industry increasingly connects production machinery with internet of things (IoT) devices, gathers multiple real-time sensor information into large datasets, and harnesses machine learning to make data-driven decisions. The advantages of this Fourth Industrial Revolution are expected to generate huge increases in profits during the next few years. However, these developments are not without risk.

I’m not going to discuss the existential risk of drifting into dependence on a system so complex that only machine intelligence can make any sense of it. Cybersecurity presents much more immediate risks. Industry 4.0 brings the possibility of both terrorists and state actors gaining the ability to remotely shut down and sabotage critical infrastructure and military assets.

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