This wasn’t a data breach. It was a disaster waiting to happen.
In June 2022, a hacker group called Predatory Swallow launched a cyber attack on an Iranian steel and aluminum foundry.
They didn’t go after customer records.
They didn’t lock up files for ransom.
They hijacked the crucible — the machine that melts and pours liquid metal — and poured it directly onto the factory floor.
OT Attacks Are Physical
This was not a typical IT breach. It was an operational technology (OT) attack — and it caused real-world danger.
No warning.
No alarms.
Just damage, downtime, and a nightmare on the floor.
The hacktivist group Predatory Swallow took credit for the attack and even recorded the event using the foundry’s own security cameras.
They posted the footage to YouTube as proof of what they could do.
What You Can Do Now
Most manufacturers don’t know what’s connected to what — or what could be exposed.
Start by asking:
- Are shop floor devices segmented from office systems?
- Are any machines accessible remotely (even if you think they’re not)?
- Are old machines still patched or monitored?
If you can’t answer all three confidently — you’re not alone.
That’s exactly why we created the Shop Floor Cyber Snapshot.
- It’s free.
- It takes less than 30 minutes.
- There’s no software to install, and no downtime.
You’ll get a simple report showing:
- What’s visible on your network
- Where the blind spots are
- And what to fix first (before something breaks)
