Cyber Security for Collaboration Robots (COBOTS) in Smart Factories

In the age of Industry 4.0, collaborative robots (cobots) have emerged as pivotal components of smart factories, revolutionizing manufacturing processes by enhancing productivity, flexibility, and safety. These robots, designed to work alongside human operators, have opened new frontiers in automation by enabling seamless human-robot collaboration. However, as cobots become increasingly integrated into interconnected systems within smart factories, the exposure to cyber threats also grows. The complexity and interdependence of the systems that cobots interact with ranging from machine controllers to industrial IoT (IIoT) devices create a fertile ground for potential cyberattacks. This chapter delves into the cybersecurity challenges associated with cobots in smart factories, exploring the unique vulnerabilities of these systems and the implications for industrial operations.