Why Manufacturing Companies Must Adopt Specialized Enterprise Browsers to Secure BYOD and Contractor Access

The manufacturing sector is rapidly digitizing, leveraging cloud-based workflows, smart factories, and interconnected supply chains to boost productivity and innovation. However, this digital evolution comes with a sharp increase in cyber risk—especially from browser-based threats. Many manufacturers still rely on standard browsers that offer little to no centralized management, particularly on devices used by external users or contractors (BYOD). This lack of specialized browser controls significantly increases the risk of data leakage, operational disruption, and costly breaches, as detailed in ProcessUnity's analysis of manufacturing breaches.

Investing in a secure, enterprise-grade browser like Kahana's Oasis is no longer optional—it's essential for safeguarding manufacturing operations and sensitive data in today's threat landscape. As we explored in our analysis of enterprise browser adoption, these solutions are becoming critical for organizations embracing modern work practices.

The Rising Risk of BYOD and Contractor Access in Manufacturing

Why BYOD and Contractors Are a Vulnerability

Manufacturers often allow contractors and third-party vendors to use their own devices or unmanaged company devices to access critical applications and data. This approach accelerates onboarding and reduces hardware costs but introduces significant security challenges:

• Lack of Visibility: IT teams have limited insight into what browsers and extensions are used on BYOD devices, their update status, or if devices are shared among multiple users.
• Unmanaged Endpoints: Personal devices may lack up-to-date security patches, antivirus software, or endpoint protection, increasing the risk of malware infections.
• Risky User Behavior: Outside work, users may visit unsafe websites, download malicious content, or use insecure networks, exposing enterprise sessions to compromise.
• Credential Exposure: Attackers increasingly exploit browser vulnerabilities and stolen credentials from unmanaged devices to infiltrate networks.

According to Menlo Security's analysis, "a lack of visibility into and control over unmanaged BYOD devices makes it virtually impossible to detect suspicious browser behavior or take preventative countermeasures to prevent a breach."

How Standard Browsers Fail to Protect Manufacturing BYOD and Contractors

Minimal Centralized Management

Standard browsers like Chrome or Edge, even when deployed via enterprise tools such as chrome web download or edge enterprise download, lack the granular centralized management needed to secure BYOD and contractor devices. This results in:

• Inconsistent Security Policies: Without centralized control, users can disable security extensions or fail to update browsers, creating vulnerabilities.
• Unmonitored Extensions: Risky or malicious browser extensions can be installed, enabling data exfiltration or malware delivery.
• No Real-Time Monitoring: Security teams cannot see or control browsing sessions in real time, delaying threat detection and response.
• Fragmented Compliance: Manual policy enforcement and audit logging are error-prone and inefficient.

Increased Operational Costs and Risks

The absence of specialized browser controls leads to:

• Higher Incident Response Costs: Security teams spend excessive time investigating breaches that could have been prevented.
• Data Leakage: Sensitive intellectual property, trade secrets, and operational data can be stolen or leaked via unmanaged browser sessions.
• Regulatory Penalties: Failure to secure third-party access can result in violations of industry regulations and costly fines.
• Production Downtime: Cyberattacks exploiting browser vulnerabilities can disrupt manufacturing lines, causing significant financial losses.

Real-World Manufacturing Cybersecurity Incidents

91 Ransomware Incidents in March 2025

The manufacturing sector faced 91 ransomware attacks globally in March 2025, with phishing emails and compromised remote access tools serving as primary entry points. Attackers exploited browser weaknesses on unmanaged BYOD devices to deploy variants like Black Basta and Moonstone Sleet, which disrupted production lines and exfiltrated intellectual property. For example, a U.S. automotive parts supplier suffered a 17-day shutdown after attackers used stolen VPN credentials to bypass outdated browser security controls, as reported by Cyfirma's ransomware tracking. The Dragos 2025 Industrial Cybersecurity Report confirmed ransomware now accounts for 88% of breaches in small-to-midsize manufacturers due to unpatched browser extensions and weak credential management.

Supply Chain Breaches

Third-party breaches surged by 30% in 2024, with attackers exploiting vendor credentials and browser vulnerabilities to infiltrate manufacturing networks. A notable incident involved a compromised European industrial automation vendor whose unpatched Chrome extensions allowed lateral movement into a multinational automaker's R&D systems, stealing electric vehicle battery designs and disrupting assembly lines across three continents, as detailed in Cyble's supply chain security analysis. The 2025 Verizon DBIR found that 42% of manufacturing breaches originated from excessive third-party privileges, often via browser-based remote access tools like Citrix.

Browser-Native Ransomware

Browser-native ransomware emerged as a critical threat, leveraging malicious extensions and OAuth apps to reset passwords, exfiltrate cloud data, and lock users out of SaaS applications. SquareX researchers documented attacks where AI-powered scripts harvested credentials from Chrome's password manager, granting access to shared drives on platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, as reported by Cyber Risk Leaders. In one case, attackers used a compromised browser session at a semiconductor manufacturer to encrypt CAD files in SharePoint, demanding $7.4 million to restore access, as detailed in our analysis of manufacturing browser security.

2025 Verizon DBIR Findings

The 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report revealed that 66% of manufacturing breaches involved malware, with ransomware accounting for 47% of incidents—a 37% year-over-year increase. The report attributed this surge to browser-based initial access vectors like phishing (19%) and exploited vulnerabilities in unpatched web applications (23%). Notably, 34% of breaches stemmed from stolen credentials harvested via browser password managers or session cookies.

How Kahana's Oasis Enterprise Browser Secures Manufacturing BYOD and Contractors

Centralized Enterprise Browser Management

Oasis enables IT teams to centrally deploy, configure, and enforce security policies across all browsers—whether on corporate or BYOD devices. This ensures consistent protection regardless of device ownership or location. As detailed in our enterprise browser solution overview, these features help manufacturing organizations balance security with productivity.

Granular Browser Extension Security

Administrators can whitelist approved extensions and block risky or unauthorized add-ons, preventing malicious code execution and data leakage.

Real-Time Monitoring and Threat Detection

Oasis provides continuous visibility into browsing sessions, enabling rapid detection of suspicious behavior and automated threat blocking before damage occurs.

Zero Trust Access Controls

By enforcing least-privilege access and continuous identity verification, Oasis limits what users and devices can access, reducing the risk of lateral movement and insider threats. This approach aligns with our zero trust security framework, providing comprehensive protection for manufacturing operations.

Seamless Workforce Enablement

Oasis supports secure, frictionless access for contractors and remote workers without requiring complex VPNs or virtual desktops, reducing operational costs and improving productivity. This modern approach to access management, as we detailed in our VDI reduction analysis, helps organizations move beyond traditional security models.

Enterprise Browser Use Cases in Manufacturing

• Secure Remote Access: Enable contractors and third parties to access specific applications and data securely from any device.
• Supply Chain Security: Monitor and control vendor browser sessions to prevent supply chain attacks.
• Data Loss Prevention: Block unauthorized copying, downloading, or sharing of sensitive information via browser sessions.
• Compliance and Audit: Automate logging and reporting to meet industry standards like NIST, ISO, and CMMC.

The Future of Browser Security in Manufacturing

As browser-native ransomware and identity attacks grow more sophisticated, the need for specialized enterprise browsers like Oasis becomes critical. Manufacturing's unique combination of legacy OT systems, minimal downtime tolerance, and complex supply chains demands a security solution that offers centralized control, real-time visibility, and seamless user experience.

Conclusion

Manufacturing companies that continue to rely on standard browsers without specialized controls expose themselves to unnecessary risks and operational costs. The rise of BYOD and contractor access amplifies these vulnerabilities, making centralized enterprise browser management essential.

Kahana's Oasis Enterprise Browser offers a comprehensive, secure, and user-friendly solution tailored to manufacturing's evolving needs. By investing in Oasis, manufacturers can protect their intellectual property, ensure regulatory compliance, reduce incident response costs, and empower their workforce—turning the browser from a security liability into a strategic asset.