As the Aberdeen engineering industry rapidly evolves, cyber threats become a more prevalent issue. Why? Engineering firms are using more advanced technologies than ever, meaning they have more points of entry into the network.
Modern engineering firms utilise technologies such as:
- Smart Building Devices such as internet-connected lathes and 3D printers.
- Building Information Modelling (BIM)
- Project Management Software
Although these technologies are integral to improving the efficiency of your day-to-day operations, they also create more opportunities for cybercriminals looking to hack sensitive information.
What Sensitive Data Do Aberdeen Engineering Firms Need to Protect?
There are many cyber security threats targeting engineering firms. Before you start creating a cyber security strategy, Nimbus Blue has created this article to inform you of the biggest risks and help you safeguard operations and protect sensitive data at your engineering firm.
Here are the most important types of data any engineering firm needs to protect:
- Intellectual Property – Engineering firms generate and store valuable intellectual property, such as designs, blueprints, and trade secrets.
- Client Confidentiality – Engineering firms handle confidential client information.
- Data Protection – Engineering firms store and use data for building a business strategy or ensuring the safety and efficiency of an engineering project.
Key Cyber Threats Facing Aberdeen Engineering Firms
Cybercriminals pose many threats to engineering firms. Some of the biggest cyber threats an engineering firm could face include:
- Phishing emails
- Lost employee laptops and mobile devices
- Unauthorised access to the network
- Insider theft from disgruntled employees
CrowdStrike’s annual cyber security global threat report recorded 7.78 million cyber-attacks on UK businesses in 2024. Former Cisco CEO, John Chambers said, “There are two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those who don’t yet know they have been hacked.”
There are many ways hackers manage to break into an engineering firm’s network. Here are a few of the most common ways:
- Hardware and software configuration issues
- Untrained employees downloading malicious software or sending confidential information
- Unsupported operation systems and/or hardware
Engineering firms are targeted by cybercriminals due to the valuable data they handle, posing a significantly higher risk of facing a cyber threat than many other industries in Aberdeen. Here are some common cyber risks to engineering firms:
Phishing Attacks
These attacks mislead employees into revealing confidential information through deceptive emails. Phishing is particularly dangerous in engineering firms as it can lead to unauthorised access to proprietary designs and client data. Cybercriminals may use advanced techniques, like social engineering, making it difficult for employees to identify fraudulent emails.
Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware is an advanced type of malware that can damage a computer and subsequently hold sensitive data or personally identifiable information (PII). These attacks encrypt a firm’s data, requiring a ransom for its release. Ransomware can cause major operational disruption and financial loss. Engineering firms should maintain regular data backups and implement sophisticated threat detection systems to prevent such attacks. Nimbus Blue has created a detailed guide on how you can defend against SaaS ransomware attacks.
Data Breaches and IP Theft
Engineering firms own valuable intellectual property, client data and specifications, and design blueprints. Cybercriminals seek to exploit this data, affecting the firm’s reputation and competitiveness. According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), organisations handling technical IP must adopt the highest standards of data protection measures. Nimbus Blue provides data protection solutions that safeguard sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access, ensuring engineering firms avoid costly data breaches as a result of a cyber-attack.
Insider Threats
Insider threats, whether from employees or external contractors, pose a significant cyber security risk for engineering firms. According to Gurucul’s 2024 Insider Threat Report, the number of organisations reporting insider attacks increased from 60% in 2023 to 83% in 2024. To monitor and prevent insider threats, Nimbus Blue implements advanced access controls and monitoring solutions, helping your business avoid data breaches and ensuring sensitive data is only accessible to authorised staff.
How Nimbus Blue Supports Aberdeen Engineering Firms
Engineering firms face several IT challenges due to the sensitive nature of their data and strict regulatory demands. Nimbus Blue offers comprehensive and flexible IT solutions tailored specifically for the engineering sector, ensuring that your firm remains resilient and protected against both internal and external cyber threats.
Here are a few of the solutions Nimbus Blue offers to support engineering firms with cyber security, data protection, and IT management:
Cyber Essentials Certification
- Cyber Essentials: As an experienced cyber security services provider in Aberdeen, Nimbus Blue supports engineering firms to meet the fundamental Cyber Essentials standards, protecting against common threats such as ransomware, phishing, and malware.
- Cyber Essentials Plus: For firms seeking enhanced security, this rigorous certification involves external testing of systems. This additional layer of security demonstrates a higher commitment to cyber security, ideal for any engineering firm working with confidential data.
Proactive Monitoring and Threat Detection
- Engineering firms rely on continuous access to digital resources, from CAD files to sensitive data. Nimbus Blue offers a proactive 24/7 monitoring service that detects potential issues before they escalate, reducing the risk of data loss or downtime.
- Our advanced threat detection tools identify unusual activity in your systems, allowing us to respond to any potential security risks quickly and effectively.
Industry-Specific Compliance and Regulatory Support
- Engineering firms often work with governmental or high-stakes contracts and must meet and adhere to strict regulatory standards. Nimbus Blue provides a range of compliance services, helping to assess compliance gaps and assist in risk assessments and security audits.
- We understand the compliance landscape for engineering firms, and we also assist with GDPR, ISO 27001, and other regulatory frameworks.
Advanced Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Solutions
What is advanced data backup? Backing up data is the process of duplicating existing data and securely storing it elsewhere as a restoration point in the event of system failure.
There are many forms of data backup. At Nimbus Blue, we recommend that all our clients invest in cloud backups, as it is one of the most secure ways to prevent incidents of data breaches or data loss.
According to Infosecurity Magazine, nearly half (48%) of the UK’s SMEs have lost access to data since 2019, estimated to have cost them billions.
Disaster recovery is a process to ensure that there is a plan in place to protect your data and services against problems and restore them in the event of a catastrophe. Backing up data is part of this process, but disaster recovery involves a lot more than just creating backups. Nimbus Blue recommends setting a disaster recovery plan combined with an advanced cloud data backup plan in place. This is to ensure that your data is not just backed up, but that there is an alternative plan in place to ensure your business won’t suffer data loss or any major disruption to your services if systems fail.
Planning and executing a cloud data backup plan and disaster plan at any engineering firm can take time and a lot of resources. Our friendly team at Nimbus Blue can help you set up an advanced data backup plan and disaster recovery solution tailored to your business. Find out more about our Cloud Solutions services and secure your business today.
Risk Assessments and Compliance Support
Engineering firms handling sensitive client data and proprietary designs must adhere to strict data protection and compliance regulations to safeguard information and maintain operational integrity. Ensuring compliance with industry standards like ISO 27001 and GDPR is essential to avoid penalties and create client relationships built on trust. According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), regular cyber security risk assessments are key to identifying weaknesses and implementing measures to reduce the risk of being exposed to cyber threats.
Nimbus Blue offers risk assessments designed to evaluate potential security gaps in your IT infrastructure, focusing on engineering-specific risks such as intellectual property (IP) protection and maintaining data integrity throughout project lifecycles. Our assessments include recommendations on access controls, secure data handling, and compliance-focused improvements.
Our compliance support ensures that your business aligns with mandatory legal standards and best practices, helping you to stay in full compliance with GDPR and ISO standards. By choosing Nimbus Blue’s risk assessments and compliance expertise, engineering firms can operate confidently, knowing their cyber security measures are effective and aligned with current legal requirements.
With our extensive expertise in cyber security, compliance, and industry-specific IT solutions, Nimbus Blue is committed to supporting Aberdeen’s engineering firms in meeting their unique IT needs.
Contact us to learn more or book a Discovery Call for an introductory chat with one of our friendly and experienced team about how we can help support your business.
