"DoD Watchdog Says 3D Printers Pose Cybersecurity Risks"

A report from the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that 3D printers pose cybersecurity risks to the agency. DoD employees were discovered not properly securing the IT systems used for 3D product development. They were found to be unaware that the 3D printers had hackable IT systems. According to the report, DoD employees consider additive manufacturing (AM) systems like 3D printers and computer workstations as tools to generate supply parts, not IT systems. This has led to the failure to implement cybersecurity controls and consistently secure AM systems. Internal or external malicious actors could compromise the AM systems to steal design data and gain access to the DoD Information Network if the DoD does not properly protect the confidentiality and integrity of those systems. The compromise of AM design data could allow adversaries to recreate and use DoD's technology for their own advantage on the battlefield. This article continues to discuss key findings and recommendations from the OIG report on the cybersecurity of DoD AM systems. 

MeriTalk reports "DoD Watchdog Says 3D Printers Pose Cybersecurity Risks"