Pharma Is Building Again. It's Time to Put Security in the Blueprints.
Zscaler, Thursday, October 8th, 2026
Zscaler urges pharma firms building new US plants to bake OT security into user requirement specifications early.
Zscaler's Bryan Ashley argues the wave of pharmaceutical plant onshoring in the US, driven by pandemic supply-chain lessons and a 2025 executive order, is a chance to build connected, AI-ready GMP plants with security designed in.
In GMP plants, most security decisions are effectively made in the user requirements specification (URS) before the first batch runs.
The post explains what belongs in the URS and why the window to get security right closes early in construction.