Improved building system technology is making today’s smart buildings safer, more energy efficient, and more attractive to tenants. But ESD, now Stantec Studio Leader and Senior Security Consultant Coleman Wolf says building automated system (BAS) improvements could come with new vulnerabilities. (Read more about intelligent building security.)
Cybercriminals continue to find new ways to infiltrate building systems to access sensitive company data. How safe is your operation?
According to recent reports, the number of ransomware attacks globally in 2021 is up 151 percent for the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2020. Many of those incursions have happened through the exploitation of vulnerable building systems and controls. Consulting-Specifying Engineer (CSE) magazine addresses the threat in the article “Ransomware Attack: What Is Your Building Worth to You?” originally published by ESD earlier this year. In it, ESD Cybersecurity Practice Leader Bryan Bennett says as operational technology (OT), building systems, and other internet of things (IoT) devices become more connected to information technology (IT) systems, there are more opportunities for bad actors to exploit cybersecurity vulnerabilities of any size business. The article includes best practices to avoid becoming a victim of malicious cyberattacks.
Bryan Bennett has been evangelizing for better IT security strategies for over a quarter-century. His mission to protect organizations from the financial, reputational, and individual costs associated with cybercrimes fits well with ESD’s mission to improve society through the built environment.
