By Matthew Broderick Pete Schauster has never forgotten the impact of the cyberattack his Manchester-based manufacturer Empire Industries experienced in 2016. “We were down for three or four days,” said Schauster, who is president of the family-owned maker of pipe hangers and supports that employs 100 people. The malware attack forced Empire Industries to not only temporarily halt production, but also reassess its cyber risks and infrastructure. Schauster, who was Empire’s sales leader at the time of the attack, admits he was somewhat naive to the cyber threats a small manufacturer like his faced. “A lot of smaller companies don’t have the support systems and security protocols set up and are more vulnerable,” he said.