CyManII, Mazak partnership strengthens SmartBox cybersecurity for smart manufacturing
As manufacturers continue to adopt connected technologies and Industry 4.0 practices, protecting production equipment from cyber threats has become just as important as improving efficiency.
Through its partnership with the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII), Mazak is enhancing the cybersecurity capabilities of its SmartBox technology while helping shape the future of secure manufacturing.
The SmartBox serves three primary functions: cybersecurity, data collection and soft programmable logic controller (PLC) functionality. Designed to securely connect manufacturing equipment to industrial networks, the technology allows companies to collect valuable machine data while helping isolate equipment from unwanted network connections.
“When we partner with an equipment manufacturer like Mazak, we help them see how their equipment shapes the security posture of a manufacturing environment into which the equipment is deployed,” said Tim Lawless, master software architect and vulnerability remediation engineer at CyManII.
According to Nick Romeo, software developer engineer at Mazak, CyManII has played a key role in strengthening the platform’s cybersecurity features.
“Our partnership with CyManII has really helped us understand the cybersecurity challenges in the manufacturing space,” Romeo said. “They’ve been instrumental in helping us develop the SmartBox further. Having their industry insight along with their collaborative mindset has really helped us.”
The collaboration began as Mazak sought to evolve the first-generation SmartBox into a more secure, next-generation platform. Romeo said CyManII’s expertise in cybersecurity for manufacturing made the Institute an ideal partner.
“CyManII seemed like a natural next step in our SmartBox development,” Romeo said. “Their industry expertise really helped us develop the security features you see now with the SmartBox. They really know what the industry needs, specifically in manufacturing.”
To help validate and strengthen those security capabilities, CyManII evaluated the SmartBox in its Cybersecurity for Manufacturing (C4M) laboratory, where researchers assessed how well the technology protected manufacturing equipment and identified opportunities for improvement.
“We deployed the SmartBox in our C4M lab facility, evaluated the defenses it provides to the connected equipment, and turned that analysis into concrete improvements,” Lawless said. “Mazak was then able to pass those improvements on to every manufacturer that relies on them.”
By combining Mazak’s expertise in advanced manufacturing with CyManII’s cybersecurity research, the partnership has expanded the company’s perspective on securing industrial systems.
“CyManII brings a different cybersecurity perspective than we’ve ever had at Mazak,” Romeo said. “They’ve really helped us learn what we need to focus on for cybersecurity in the future.”
Beyond technical improvements, Romeo said the collaboration has challenged Mazak to think differently about the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
“They have a lot of forward-thinking ideas and have really challenged our thinking about cybersecurity and manufacturing,” he said. “Those challenges have made the SmartBox an even better product.”
Looking ahead, Romeo believes the SmartBox represents only the beginning of the relationship between the two organizations.
“I could see us expanding our partnership,” he said. “The SmartBox is just the start. We’ll continue to combine our manufacturing expertise with their cybersecurity knowledge to keep pushing manufacturing – and cybersecurity for manufacturing – forward.”
For organizations considering working with CyManII, Romeo offered a clear endorsement.
“They’ve really helped Mazak find its footing in cybersecurity,” he said. “They have a lot of industry and research expertise that make them a step above anybody else.”
