The Defense Department didn’t properly secure additive manufacturing systems, such as 3D printers, from foreign intrusion and data tampering because they were considered tools rather than IT, according to an inspector general report released July 7.
Additive manufacturing systems, which include printers and computers used to create three-dimensional products, are increasingly used — particularly with the Air Force and national labs, to create prototypes, models, and materials, including replacement parts for military equipment in the field.
