Data Protection and Information Security: Inseparably Linked

When production data, customer information, or access logs fall into the wrong hands, the damage is rarely limited to the “IT side”: downtime, contractual penalties, reputational damage, and—in serious cases—regulatory action affect management, plant supervisors, and owners alike. This is precisely why data protection and information security must be considered together—not as red tape, but as a measurable safeguard for your investment. Anyone introducing new video surveillance, smart energy management, or networked machines automatically generates personal data (e.g., employee movements) and critical operational information (e.g., recipes, OEE metrics). Without clean processes, clear responsibilities, and technically robust protective measures, a dangerous gap emerges between “GDPR-compliant” and “operationally viable.” In practice, data protection governs what may be processed; information security ensures that it is reliably protected—throughout the entire lifecycle, from collection to deletion.

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Key Points

• Risk reduction through coordinated measures: fewer incidents, less downtime, lower liability risks.
• Predictable compliance (GDPR, TOMs, auditability) instead of ad-hoc fixes under time pressure.
• Cost control through standardization (e.g., roles, access, logging): fewer external special projects.
• A competitive advantage in meeting customer requirements and responding to requests for proposals thanks to a proven track record of security.

Data Protection and Information Security as a Management System

In industry and small-to-medium-sized businesses, isolated solutions rarely work. An integrated approach is recommended: data protection (legal and organizational) and information security (technical and procedural) are implemented as a unified management model—with defined risks, controls, and KPIs. Guidance is provided by established standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 (ISMS) and the BSI framework (e.g., Basic Protection as a methodology). For owners and decision-makers, this means above all: transparent priorities instead of a “sense of security.”

Technical Foundation: Protection Requirements, Asset Inventory, Data Classification

The starting point is a current inventory (systems, OT/IT interfaces, cloud services) combined with data classification. This helps identify security needs: What is business-critical, what is personal data, and what falls into both categories? This transparency reduces project costs because security measures are implemented where the ROI is highest.

Data Protection and Information Security in Manufacturing (OT) and in Buildings

Factory managers and facility managers are seeing the same trend today: more sensors, more remote maintenance, and more vendor access points. This increases the attack surface. Particular points of vulnerability include interfaces such as MES/ERP connections, remote access for service partners, building management systems, and video/access control systems. In these cases, proper segmentation determines whether an incident remains localized or affects the entire plant.

Practical measures: segmentation, zero trust, logging

Network segmentation (IT/OT separation), strictly regulated remote access policies (MFA, jump hosts), and centralized logging with alerts have proven effective. For data protection, it is crucial that logs are used for specific purposes, retention periods are defined, and access remains traceable. It is precisely this integration that makes data protection and information security operationally effective.

Ensuring Data Protection and Information Security in a Cost-Effective Manner

Decision-makers need reliable figures: costs associated with downtime, recovery, contractual risks, insurance premiums, and audit expenses. Good programs work with scenarios and are based on statistics and case studies from the industry itself (e.g., typical downtime duration, recovery times, frequency of phishing incidents). This makes security something that can be budgeted for and prioritized—rather than a constant special-case issue.

Responsibilities, Training, Supply Chain

Technology alone is not enough. Roles (CISO/ISB, Data Protection Officer, OT managers), standardized processes (incident response, change management), and training significantly reduce the error rate. In addition, the supply chain should be integrated both contractually and technically (SLAs, access permissions, documentation). This creates a sustainable security framework—not just a one-time project.

Strategically, I recommend using the next 90 days to conduct a comprehensive maturity assessment: an asset and data inventory, a list of the top 10 risks, a prioritized action plan with a budget range, and an audit roadmap. By integrating data protection and information security in this way, you’ll achieve predictable compliance, higher availability, and the investment confidence needed for digitalization, automation, and growth.