A hybrid factory is an industrial environment where human workers and automated systems operate together. In practice, that means people, robots, sensors, PLCs, MES platforms, and analytics tools all share the same production flow. The factory is “hybrid” because decisions are split between operators and software-driven control systems.
In cyber security, this matters because the mix of IT and OT expands the attack surface. A compromise in a dashboard, engineering workstation, or vendor remote-access path can affect production data, machine settings, or safety controls. Defenders focus on network segmentation, strict identity and access control, asset inventory, logging, and change management so that operational data can be trusted and reviewed. In real attacks, hybrid factories are attractive because a small foothold can disrupt both information systems and physical output.