Cybersecurity: Key Challenge to Queretaro’s Industry Boom

Queretaro has positioned itself as one of Mexico's main industrial engines, hosting more than 1,500 advanced manufacturing and information technology companies. However, this progress comes with a significant challenge: ensuring cybersecurity as business operations go digital.

"The growth momentum in Queretaro is directly linked to the need to strengthen cybersecurity at all levels of operation. Sixty percent of cyberattacks on manufacturing companies in Mexico are aimed at sectors linked to the supply chain," Enrique Quezada Ojeda, President, Queretaro Export Industry Association (INDEX), tells El Economista.

Queretaro's industrial growth has positioned the state as a key center for information technology in Mexico. Governor of Queretaro Mauricio Kuri attributes this growth to recent investments, such as those made by Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud. Kuri says that among the critical factors attracting such investments are social stability, legal certainty, and the boost to the state's technological development.

Queretaro concentrates one of the most attractive emerging labor forces for multiple sectors, says José Antillón, Regional Vice President in Mexico and the Caribbean, Concentrix. The decision to open its new Hub in the state reflects this philosophy, Antillón tells MBN.

The advanced manufacturing industry in Queretaro has established itself as one of the state's main economic engines, generating 30% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This strength, as reported by The Logistics World, is supported by strategic sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and plastics, which have not only boosted employment and exports, but have made Queretaro a national and international benchmark.

This dynamism is supported by a robust industrial infrastructure, with over 40 industrial parks distributed mainly in the industrial corridor and the metropolitan area of the state. The articulation between government, academia, and industry has allowed Queretaro to specialize in high-tech manufacturing, such as the design of turbomachines and advanced aerospace components. 

This increase in digitization and the expansion of advanced manufacturing generates risks associated with cybersecurity. With the increasing adoption of technologies, companies must face the challenge of protecting their information systems and operations from cyberattacks. Quezada tells El Economista that 60% of cyberattacks targeting manufacturing companies in Mexico affect sectors related to the supply chain, reflecting the vulnerability of digital infrastructures in the sector.

Furthermore, the standardization of smart factories increases the margins of exposure for cyberthreats that seek to disrupt operations and compromise sensitive data, reports Aristegui Noticias. These attacks can paralyze entire production lines, generating significant economic losses and affecting the reputation of companies.

To fight these threats, the manufacturing sector has adopted technologies such as real-time monitoring, access segmentation, and data encryption, which has enabled companies to strengthen the security of their systems and ensure operational continuity. Another strategy is to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors to establish standards to strengthen the resilience of Mexican manufacturing.

"Strengthening the digital security environment not only protects existing investments, but also fosters the confidence of future investors in the region," says Agustín Tiburcio, National Director of the Information Technology Committee, INDEX.