Manufacturing IT Challenges We Solve
Northwest Indiana's manufacturing sector faces unique IT and cybersecurity challenges. Askbuc provides solutions engineered for industrial environments.
OT/IT Convergence
Securely bridge operational technology (SCADA, PLCs, HMIs) with enterprise IT systems without compromising production uptime or introducing cyber vulnerabilities. Air-gapped networks, unidirectional gateways, and zero-trust segmentation for industrial control systems.
CMMC Compliance for Defense Contractors
Achieve Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 or 3 for DoD supply chain participation. NIST 800-171 implementation, CUI protection, incident response planning, and third-party assessment preparation for automotive and aerospace suppliers.
Ransomware Protection for Production Systems
Manufacturing is the #1 target for ransomware attacks. Implement immutable backups, network segmentation, endpoint detection and response (EDR), and incident response procedures that minimize production downtime. 24/7 monitoring for industrial environments.
Legacy System Integration
Connect decades-old industrial equipment to modern ERP, MES, and analytics platforms without replacing functional machinery. Protocol conversion, data historians, and secure remote access for vendor support while maintaining air gaps where required.
Manufacturing Compliance & Standards
Askbuc helps Northwest Indiana manufacturers meet industry-specific regulatory requirements and customer mandates.
CMMC (DoD Supply Chain)
- NIST 800-171 implementation
- CUI data protection
- Assessment preparation
- Continuous monitoring
ISO 27001 (Information Security)
- ISMS development
- Risk assessment & treatment
- Audit preparation
- Certification support
ITAR (Export Control)
- Technical data protection
- Access controls
- Foreign person restrictions
- Audit trail maintenance
Northwest Indiana Manufacturing Expertise
Askbuc understands the unique requirements of the Calumet Region's industrial base.
Northwest Indiana's manufacturing sector—spanning steel production in Gary and Hammond, automotive suppliers throughout Lake and Porter counties, logistics operations serving Chicago, and precision machining in Valparaiso—operates in an environment where production uptime is measured in millions of dollars per hour and cybersecurity incidents can halt entire supply chains.
Many regional manufacturers serve Department of Defense supply chains, requiring CMMC compliance alongside traditional manufacturing IT challenges. Others face customer mandates for ISO 27001 certification or must protect intellectual property related to proprietary manufacturing processes. Askbuc provides IT infrastructure and cybersecurity services specifically engineered for these requirements.
Our approach recognizes that manufacturing IT is fundamentally different from office IT. Production systems cannot be patched during business hours. SCADA networks must remain air-gapped while still providing data to enterprise analytics platforms. Vendor remote access must be tightly controlled without impeding critical maintenance. And all of this must be accomplished under strict NDA when proprietary processes are involved.