Manufacturing Cyber Security​: Top 4 Training Solutions 2025

Manufacturing is under attack.

The manufacturing sector is the single most targeted industry for cyberattacks, accounting for over 25% of all security incidents, with malware attacks - primarily ransomware - making up the majority.

With cyber threat actors exploiting cloud vulnerabilities and unpatched firmware, the manufacturing and industrial products sector faced 377 confirmed cyber incidents in just the first half of 2024 alone.

Manufacturers are increasingly being targeted not just by traditional malicious actors such as hackers and cyber-criminals, but by competing companies and nations engaged in corporate espionage. 

Motivations range from money and revenge to competitive advantage and strategic disruption.

Below, we'll give you an objective breakdown of the top four cybersecurity training solutions for manufacturing businesses - based on over 6,000 real customer reviews.

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What should manufacturing firms look for in a security training solution?

Industry-specific content for a vast attack surface

As you already know, manufacturing organizations face unique cybersecurity risks such as threats to IIoT devices, control system lifespans, and operating systems.

As highlighted in the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Report, manufacturing firms are among the prime targets for cyber attackers due to the vast amounts of high-value data they process.

So, your training solution needs to address the manufacturing sector's specific vulnerabilities by focusing on:

• Ransomware attacks: Employees should learn to detect malicious email attachments, phishing attempts, and other delivery methods that initiate ransomware attacks.
• Intellectual property theft: Training should include ways to identify and mitigate insider threats and corporate espionage targeting high-value data and proprietary designs.
• Supply chain attacks: Programs should cover risks associated with party providers and strategies to mitigate breaches across the entire supply chain.

Gamified learning for enhanced engagement

Given the operational pressures in production environments and larger,often distributed workforces, training needs to keep employees engaged.

And one of the most effective means keeping engagement high is gamification.

Interactive modules should address things like:

• Strong password policies: Employees should learn best practices for creating and managing credentials for emails and critical systems.
• Identity-based attacks: Training on how to prevent phishing attempts and spear-phishing campaigns targeting banking details and sensitive information.

Realistic phishing simulations

Phishing remains one of the most common attack types in the manufacturing sector.

Effective training should include:

• Phishing scenarios: Tailored to mimic real-world risks, such as fake emails from supply chain partners or cloud dashboard login requests.
• Behavioral analytics: Providing immediate feedback on employee performance so you can adapt your training to focus on where the gaps are and reduce human error.

Real-time simulations enable continuous monitoring of vulnerabilities while preparing employees for real-life threats.

By simulating regularly cyber incidents, positive habits and vigilance will be built over time.

And employees will develop the skills to mitigate cybersecurity challenges in the real world.

Advanced metrics and analytics

An effective training solution must include tools to measure progress and detect weaknesses.

Metrics should evaluate:

• Cybersecurity posture: Track improvements in employee awareness and incident response capabilities.
• Network segmentation compliance: Ensure that critical components are isolated to minimize the impact of breaches.
• Unpatched vulnerabilities: Identify areas in the cyber threat landscape requiring immediate action.

Compliance and regulatory alignment

Manufacturers must comply with cybersecurity requirements under frameworks like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and ISO 27001.

Effective training programs include:

• Compliance training: Educating employees on adhering to regulatory requirements for critical manufacturing sectors.
• Cybersecurity leaders’ training: Ensuring leadership understands their role in maintaining a strong cybersecurity strategy and supporting ongoing cybersecurity initiatives.

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Hoxhunt: Gamified, adaptive phishing training

Hoxhunt offers automated phishing and security awareness training, designed to change employee behavior and reduce human risk.

Standout features

• Gamified, engaging training.
• Realistic, personalized simulations.

What users like about Hoxhunt

Engaging, effective training

• Gamified learning makes cybersecurity training interactive and engaging for employees, even in fast-paced manufacturing environments.
• Tailors phishing simulations to specific roles and locations, which that can reflect supply chain or operational risks.
• Training automatically adapts to the skill level of individual employees, so that everyone is being tested at the edge of their ability.
• Supports compliance with industry standards like NIST and IEC 62443.
• "Our employees genuinely enjoy the training; the gamified aspect keeps them engaged and vigilant," noted a security lead at a manufacturing firm.

Ease of use

• Works smoothly with Outlook and Gmail, allowing employees to report suspicious emails with a single click. "Hoxhunt’s integration with Microsoft Office made it easy to roll out across our production sites and administrative offices," said a manufacturing IT director.
• Admins mention Hoxhunt's intuitive interface and tools to monitor training progress and analyze security gaps effectively.

Comprehensive threat coverage and simulations

• Training addresses industry-specific threats, such as supply chain attacks and phishing scams targeting connected devices in smart factories.
• Provides updated training based on the latest phishing techniques and attack trends being used in the real world.
• Supports multi-language training, ideal for manufacturers with a geographically distributed workforce.
• A manufacturing IT manager shared, "Hoxhunt's phishing simulations are realistic and mimic the kinds of attacks we face in our operational technology environments."

Measurbale impact

• Organizations report improved employee engagement and reporting rates of real threats (60% of users report a real threat in the first year of training).
• Effective for industries like manufacturing, where operational downtime and supply chain breaches are significant risks.
• "The dashboards allowed us to identify the departments most vulnerable to phishing attacks and focus our efforts there," shared a cybersecurity manager.

Drawbacks of Hoxhunt

Gamification skepticism

• Some employees may be wary of gamified training, particularly those less familiar with interactive digital tools.
• However gamification has been shown to boost engagement (we tend to see 90%+ engagement rates here at Hoxhunt).

Training fatigue concerns

• Some employees report feeling overwhelmed by frequent phishing simulations.
• Despite some employees' reservations, repetition is required to build habits with Hoxhunt customers reporting a 60% success rate after first year of training.

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KnowBe4: Large security awareness training suite

KnowBe4 is a well-known training platform with a focus on phishing simulation and awareness campaigns.

Standout features

• Large content library.
• Detailed reporting and analytics.

What users like about KnowBe4

Comprehensive training content

• Offers a wide range of topics, including industry-specific content such as HIPAA.
• Interactive and gamified content enhances user engagement.

User-friendly platform

• Can scale for organizations of most sizes, with fairly straightforward deployment of campaigns and training programs.
• The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Effective phishing simulations

• Provides phishing simulations that mimic real-world attacks.
• Allows admins to adjust the complexity of phishing tests to match the organization's risk profile (although does not adapt automatically).

Drawbacks of KnowBe4

Navigation issues

• Some users note that the reporting can require multiple clicks to access certain features.

Content relevance

• A few users feel that while the training content is extensive, it may not always directly address the specific challenges faced by certain industries, such as manufacturing.
• Some users share that training modules can get repetitive and lack enough variety or updates to remain engaging.

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Proofpoint: Email protection and training

Proofpoint offers training alongside an email protection solution.

Standout features

• Risk scoring for individual users and teams.
• Advanced analytics for tracking training progress.

What users like about Proofpoint

Robust threat detection and prevention

• Manufacturing users mention Proofpoint's effectiveness in identifying and blocking spam, phishing attempts and malware.
• A user from the manufacturing industry noted, "Proofpoint's Email Protection product has helped us greatly reduce incoming spam and threats to our user inboxes".
• Training modules address threats relevant to industrial organizations, including attacks on operational systems and supply chains.
• Integration with Proofpoint’s threat protection tools provides a unified defense strategy.

Integration with existing systems

• The solution integrates well with platforms like Azure.

Responsive support

• Users praise Proofpoint's support team, which assists effectively during incidents and setup processes.
• A manufacturing industry user shared, "If an incident occurs internally, Proofpoint's support and expertise is very helpful when deciding on the next steps."

Drawbacks of Proofpoint

Complexity of configuration

• Initial setup and configuration can be complex, requiring significant time and expertise, which can be demanding for manufacturing IT teams.
• One reviewer says: "The deployment team would spend hours with us going through scenarios and helping us refine the configuration."
• Interface isn't as streamlined and modern as other solutions.

Content depth

• Some users say that the depth of training could be improved, particularly for more advanced users - and so may not cover some of the more advanced threats manufacturing businesses face.
• Customers mention that training may be better suited to beginner or intermediate users.

Lack of customization options

• Some reviewers talk about Proofpoint lacking advanced customization options that would help larger organizations with specific, niche needs.
• Tweaking content to specific needs, particularly for different teams or departments, can be difficult.

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Infosec IQ: Interactive security awareness training

Infosec IQ provides a suite of security awareness training tools as well as phishing simulations.

Standout features

• Customizable training paths.
• Continuous learning model to ensure long-term retention.

What users like about Infosec IQ

Industry-specific training modules

• Offers training content tailored to the manufacturing sector, addressing unique challenges such as Industrial Control Systems (ICS) security and operational technology vulnerabilities.
• A manufacturing firm reported that Infosec IQ provides "easy-to-understand training in digestible chunks which puts us ahead of our industry and manufacturing peers."

Comprehensive reporting and analytics

• Reporting features allow admins to monitor employee progress, assess the effectiveness of training programs, and identify areas requiring improvement.
• Comprehensive reporting and analytics features allow organizations to adjust training material based on performance.

Interactive content

• Uses interactive modules, including quizzes and videos to make content more engaging.

Drawbacks of Infosec IQ

Complexity in user interface

• Some users have found the platform's interface to be complex, suggesting that improvements could enhance user experience and intuitiveness.

Customization limitations

• While Infosec IQ offers customizable features, certain users have noted limitations in tailoring content to their organizational needs.
• A user mentioned that adding or removing learners from existing phishing campaigns was "unnecessarily cumbersome".

Integration challenges

• Integrating Infosec IQ with existing Learning Management Systems or other platforms has been reported as challenging by some users.
• A reviewer noted that "integrations with other systems" could be improved to enhance the platform's overall functionality.

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Why manufacturing businesses choose Hoxhunt

Phishing remains one of the most widely used tactics among cybercriminals.

As if the nature of these attacks wasn't a big enough threat, there are also a variety of reasons that manufacturing companies are uniquely vulnerable to phishing attacks. 

• Lack of preparation throughout the industry
• The use of systems never intended to be connected with the outside world 
• A long supply chain with many interconnected companies 
• Hackers can often access the names of management employees to impersonate
• Fragmented systems across different departments make it difficult to apply a single security framework 

Hoxhunt automatically delivers in-the-moment micro-trainings that equip manufacturing employees and leaders with the skills to recognize and respond to real-world threats effectively.

Combat phishing and ransomware: Hoxhunt’s adaptive phishing simulations help employees recognize and report threats before they disrupt critical systems.

Addressing supply chain vulnerabilities: Hoxhunt educates employees on the risks posed by supply chain partners and teaches strategies to mitigate these risks.

Realistic trainings Scenarios: Hoxhunt simulates attacks relevant to factory floor operations, including phishing emails that mimic requests from cloud dashboards, IIoT devices, or business functions like procurement.

Engagement for all roles: From plant workers to executives, Hoxhunt’s gamified training adapts to different roles and ensures participation across all levels of the organization.

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_Sources

^{Gartner Proofpoint Email Security Reviews – Gartner, 2024
Proofpoint Reviews – G2, 2024
Cybersecurity Threats in Manufacturing Industry – Hoxhunt, 2024
Critical Start Cyberattacks in Manufacturing 2024 – Critical Start, 2024
Cyber Magazine: Why Manufacturing is Targeted – Cyber Magazine, 2024
Hoxhunt Reviews – G2, 2025
KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training Reviews – G2, 2025
Infosec IQ Reviews – G2, 2025
Compare Hoxhunt vs. KnowBe4 – Capterra, 2025}