Industrial robots are security weak link

Industrial robots used in factories and warehouses that are connected to the internet are not secure, leaving companies open to cyberattacks and costly damages.

That's the word coming from a study conducted by global security software company Trend Micro and Polytechnic University of Milan, the largest technical university in Italy.

"The industrial robot – it's not ready for the world it's living in," said Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud research at Trend Micro. "The reality is these things are being connected in more and more places. There are a lot of attacks that could happen in that environment."

The study looked at Internet security vulnerabilities that could involve industrial robots used on manufacturing lines in areas such as the automobile and aerospace industries. The robots, which generally look like large mechanical arms, are used to move heavy objects, weld seams and fit pieces together. The machines also can be found moving and stacking crates in warehouses.

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