Why Modern Manufacturing Needs a New Model for Secure Remote Access

Remote access is now a core requirement in modern manufacturing. Plants rely on engineers, OEMs, and third-party vendors connecting quickly to troubleshoot issues and keep operations running. But most remote access tools were designed for corporate IT settings – not industrial environments, legacy systems, or 24/7 production lines.

As a result, OT teams are forced to use stitched-together access solutions that simply don’t fit their needs or priorities. VPNs expose too much of the network, shared credentials obscure accountability, and manual approval processes slow response times so much that small issues can snowball into downtime.

Industry data emphasizes the gap between how teams work and the tools they’re using. According to a 2025 survey from Cyolo and Takepoint Research, 58% of manufacturers report increased efficiency from secure remote access, 67% see stronger third-party collaboration, and only 0.4% report no benefit at all. But despite these clear benefits, less than 7% of manufacturing professionals are “very satisfied” with their current Secure Remote Access (SRA) tools.

The takeaway is clear: remote access is now mission-critical, but the tools enabling it must evolve to meet OT needs and workflows.

Why Traditional Remote Access Tools Frequently Fail OT Teams

1. Legacy Remote Access Can’t Keep Up with OT Operational Demands

Manufacturers now depend heavily on secure remote access for OT operations:

• 88% allow remote third-party access to OT environments

• 60% give remote OT access to more than 100 third-party vendors

• Yet only 54% allow internal employees to remotely access OT systems

These numbers reflect a practical reality across the industry: While manufacturers rely on vendors for specialized remote support, enabling internal remote access is often even more complex. Employees typically have broader privileges and touch more systems, making remote access harder to implement in a secure manner with legacy SRA tools. This dynamic helps explain why internal remote access adoption lags so far behind external vendor access in many manufacturing organizations.

2. Lack of Session Visibility Puts OT Systems at Risk

Traditional SRA tools cannot give OT teams answers to basic but crucial questions:

• Who is connected right now?

• To which asset?

• What did they do while connected?

• Was the access authorized?

Only 28% of manufacturers monitor or audit remote sessions in real time, likely because legacy SRA tools offer little if any visibility once a session starts – limiting control and accountability. Without insight into what users are doing while connected, OT teams struggle to verify changes, investigate issues, or maintain reliable records in safety- and compliance-driven environments.

3. Broad Network Access Widens the OT Attack Surface and Undermines Compliance

VPNs and other traditional SRA methods deliver broad, network-level access with no ability to enforce granular access policies or monitor in-progress sessions. Without these key capabilities, it becomes nearly impossible to enforce least privilege, zero-trust controls, or time-bound access.

The result is elevated risk on multiple fronts:

• Overexposed networks that make lateral movement easier

• Standing privileges that persist long after work is completed

• Incomplete audit trails that complicate investigations and reporting

• Limited accountability due to shared or static credentials

For manufacturers operating in regulated environments or preparing for frameworks like IEC 62443 or NIS2, these gaps can weaken compliance readiness. Instead of reducing risk, outdated SRA expands the attack surface and increases the burden on both OT and security teams.

The Operational Impact of Outdated Remote Access Strategies

Manufacturers adopt remote access primarily to improve performance:

• 64% use remote access for real-time system access

• 63% for vendor troubleshooting

• 43% for remote maintenance

But outdated access tools often add friction instead of reducing it. VPN timeouts, jump-server bottlenecks, manual approvals, and inconsistent or overly complex login workflows all slow teams down at the exact moments when speed matters most.

Tasks that should take 5 minutes turn into 45 minute events. And when access tools get in the way, users turn to workarounds like shared credentials, persistent tunnels, and unapproved consumer remote-access apps. These are typically well-intentioned attempts to keep production moving, but they introduce shadow IT risks and weaken established OT security controls.

As access paths expand or drift away from authorized processes, visibility breaks down as well. The same gaps that slow operations also undermine governance. Secure remote access should simplify audits and strengthen compliance readiness, but solutions without session logs or meaningful oversight controls can do the opposite.

User Experience: The Most Underrated OT Security Control

Just as outdated remote access models can create operational drag, user experience (UX) has a similar – and often underestimated – impact on OT performance and security. Slow, confusing, or unintuitive SRA tools don’t just frustrate users; poor user experience affects how consistently teams follow security processes and how quickly they can respond in critical situations.

The Cyolo/Takepoint Research report highlights this connection:

• 70% say UX is important when selecting an SRA solution

• 66% say good UX improves productivity

• 57% say good UX improves adherence to security protocols

• Yet only 5% call the UX of their current SRA tools “very satisfactory”

These numbers reveal a clear reality: when it comes to OT security solutions, a good user experience is an operational requirement. Technicians and engineers must act quickly, often under tight time pressure and severe stress. When remote access workflows are cluttered or slow, delays multiply, risky shortcuts emerge, and compliance becomes harder to maintain.

The Path Forward: Modern Remote Access Designed for OT

The challenges explored so far – operational friction, visibility gaps, elevated security risk, and the impact of poor user experience – make it plain that manufacturers and other industrial enterprises need a new approach to SRA if they want to realize the full operational benefits of remote access.

The path forward requires transitioning from legacy access models to a strategy built from the ground up for OT. Manufacturers can begin strengthening remote access security in their OT environments by focusing on these key priorities:

1. Identity-Based, Least-Privilege Access

Access must be granted based on user identity – not IP address or location. This approach supports zero-trust principles, restricts lateral movement, and reduces risk for both internal employees and third-party vendors.

2. Real-Time Visibility and Session Oversight

OT teams need to know who is connected, to what, and what they are doing. Continuous monitoring, session logging, and clear audit trails are now baseline requirements for safety, compliance, and operational continuity.

3. Fast, Intuitive Workflows

SRA tools must integrate neatly into how technicians, engineers, and vendors work, not force them to adopt new habits. Agentless, browser-based access, consistent workflows, and minimal setup help reduce disruption and maximize solution adoption.

4. OT-Friendly Deployment

Solutions should work across hybrid architectures, support legacy OT systems, and deploy without requiring network changes or causing downtime.

5. Flexibility for All Types of Users

A modern SRA strategy must support both internal teams and the growing ecosystem of vendors, OEMs, contractors, and service providers – each with different roles, privileges, and access needs.

Bringing OT Remote Access Up to Standard with Cyolo

Modernizing SRA isn’t just a security upgrade – it’s an operational shift that enables teams to work faster, safer, and with greater confidence. Cyolo helps make this shift achievable in real OT environments by providing secure access that fits both the pace and constraints of industrial operations.

For manufacturers looking to reduce downtime, strengthen accountability, and support both internal teams and third-party partners more effectively, Cyolo offers a practical, OT-ready modern secure remote access solution that aligns with how industrial environments truly operate.

To learn more, read the solution overview or watch this short video: