Articles and News

Welcome to the October 2026 issue of the International Society of Automation’s online magazine, Automation.com Monthly, the annual roundup of OT Cybersecurity Trends. Learn how to secure connected legacy systems, prepare to resist quantum-computer-enabled decryption, manage end-of-life IoT devices, and more. Discover what the EU Cyber Resilience Act means for asset owners and automation suppliers. Access global research on industrial cybersecurity vulnerabilities, mitigations, and protection strategies. Discover resources for staying up to date on OT cybersecurity strategies at every level.

Following the creation of CISA guidance for asset owners, a group of authors created a document for automation suppliers about how they might improve their OT cybersecurity offerings. OPC UA brings strong cybersecurity protections to the entire automation industry.

How will aligning Switzerland’s regulations with the CRA impact Swiss manufacturers and customers?

Manufacturers who build ISA/IEC 62443 into their secure development lifecycle can turn the EU Cyber Resilience Act into a passport to the European market and a stronger position worldwide.

Implementing the CRA is an opportunity to achieve higher levels of product security maturity by actively anticipating and preparing to address security issues that may arise throughout a product’s lifecycle.

The ISA Automation Summit & Expo (ASE) returns to the Walt Disney World, this time at Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 27–29 September 2026, bringing a sharpened focus on artificial intelligence, robotics and hands-on professional development.

Learn about the benefits and risks of low-code on the plant floor, applications for cybersecurity in United States water systems, the future of interoperability and more in this month’s topical roundup!

Welcome to the latest issue of the International Society of Automation’s online magazine, Automation.com Monthly. September 2026 covers...

A manufacturer’s response to the hiring challenge should have two parts: upskill the workforce you have and partner with education to build the skilled workforce you'll need.

The goal isn’t to automate everything that can be automated. It’s to make deliberate investments that leave the operation safer, more reliable and more productive than it was before. 

The future of industrial AI hinges as much on operator trust as it does on technical capability.

While consumer AI continues to dominate headlines, Industrial AI is evolving along a very different path, shaped by the realities of operational technology, safety and the unforgiving demands of production.

Manufacturers hoping for equipment longevity need to choose industrial communication technology with cybersecurity in mind.

The information teams use to inspect, diagnose and repair industrial machines is flat. Gains in uptime and efficiency will come not from collecting more data, but from giving field and office teams a shared spatial view of the same reality.

By presenting information clearly and intuitively, a well-designed Distributed Control System User Experience (UX) reduces the likelihood of human error, helps prevent accidents and enhances situational awareness.

A new metric is changing the conversation about the value of control loop performance.

For the first time, manufacturers can deploy control systems that don't just execute instructions but understand processes.

According to data from consultancy McKinsey, 87% of businesses report that they are either facing a skills shortage or expect to in the next five years.

To scale for the future, thin clients are the smart move. 

Leading manufacturers focus on people, processes and technology — in that order.