With HaloSHARE’s CAD file security and digital watermarking software, Manufacturing can improve workflow efficiency and file protection. Here’s how.
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Manufacturers face a dilemma when securing their digital supply chain.
On the one hand, manufacturing is highly susceptible to cyberattacks, especially when sharing files with third-parties. On the other hand, ultra file security hinders productivity and slows down production, adversely impacting competitiveness.
What manufacturers actually need is a middle ground: a way to increase the security and governance of shared files without encryption and without hampering workflows. That’s what Secude does for manufacturers.
The manufacturing sector has been the most targeted industry for cyberattacks for three years in a row (22% of all attacks in 2025) with sensitive internal files accounting for two-thirds of compromised data.
To protect their sensitive data and close supply chain security gaps, many manufacturers rely on Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools like Microsoft Purview. But this reliance has two core issues for manufacturers.
But with Secude’s HaloSHARE, you can easily secure digital workflows without encryption.
Secude’s HaloSHARE simplifies file management and security in the manufacturing supply chain by extending DLP into the CAD file arena and adding unencrypted file rights through digital watermarking.
Traditional DLP systems can recognize CAD file extensions, but impose "all or nothing" blocking rules on these files.
With HaloSHARE, you can implement custom DLP classification rules to CAD files at a granular level by embedding descriptive metadata within popular proprietary CAD file formats (i.e. Autodesk, Siemens, PTC etc). This allows DLP systems to scan files for custom character patterns, associate those with a file classification type, and then take specific action (block, deny, allow, etc). In this way, you can apply DLP rules to manufacturing files that would not usually be covered.
Example: Secure overseas supply chains
A machinery company exchanges 3D models and designs with contractors overseas, but has proprietary files that must never be shared outside of the enterprise. With HaloSHARE, you can extend DLP rules to your CAD files, protecting your data from leaving the enterprise by blocking them as email attachments and preventing other exfiltration attempts.
Not all file security requires encryption. From sharing factory blueprints with contractors or sending PDF invoices to a heavy machinery supplier, manufacturing projects often involve sharing information that is not ‘business-critical,’ but still require monitoring.
With HaloSHARE, you can add both visible and discreet watermarks to files in bulk. This unencrypted data security simplifies file sharing (your partners don’t need decrypting software) and adds traceability of shared files, so you know where and when files travel, and the source of any leaks.
Example: Cloud PLM
Encrypted files break most PLM systems, but discreet marking and document signing works seamlessly. By adding discreet watermarking metadata to files before they go into on-prem or cloud-hosted PLM systems, you can provide file ownership provenance and enforce confidentiality with partners you share files with. Discreet marking data ensures that the source of a data leak can be traced back to the party that leaked it to enforce accountability measures.
30% of data breaches in 2025 have involved a third-party. Multi-partner manufacturing projects are therefore particularly vulnerable as the greater the number of users accessing your files, the greater the risk of leaks and file modification. But with HaloSHARE, you can share non-encrypted files with external partners while minimizing the risk of leaks and create accountability for misuse.
Be it large-scale production processes or multi-year R&D projects, you cannot collaborate efficiently with external partners if you use heavy security measures. But with HaloSHARE’s discreet marking and sensitivity labeling, you can share and track project files without slowing down workflows.
While some shared files are not business-critical, others are proprietary and contain valuable intellectual property (IP). Leaving them exposed leads to costly consequences (i.e. loss of competitiveness, reputation and revenue). With HaloSHARE, you can easily govern files on PLM systems and provide controls for who the files are shared with. This ensures that supply chain partners are digitally authorized to download and use project files.
The global mining equipment provider wanted to secure its workflows when collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. In particular, they wanted a data-centric security solution to control and protect their most sensitive and valuable assets: CAD files and drawings (in various formats including PDF).
Alongside using Secude’s HaloCAD to classify, label and protect CAD files, they use HaloSHARE’s discrete watermarking and signing solution, so they can:
As a result, the mining equipment provider has more confidence sharing their proprietary CAD files both internally and externally, streamlining its production chain and opening up future growth opportunities.
Up to now, the manufacturing sector faced an uncomfortable choice: seamless but risky collaboration with low/no security or secure but inefficient collaboration with heavy file security.
With Secude, there’s a solution that hits the sweet spot for the manufacturing production chain: heightened data security and monitoring without impeding digital workflows.
Get in touch to find out more.
Download our HaloSHARE solution brief.
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