Building Cybersecurity

All modern buildings are susceptible to data breaches, given the number of even basic systems that are now inter-connected and exposed to the internet. Everything from your building’s electrical distribution system to your security system is at risk of a breach. Smart building systems and internet of things devices bring additional risks, not to mention parking management systems, video surveillance, intruder alarms, and more.

A hack on any one of these systems can grant access to others and present a range of physical and cyber security issues in the blink of an eye. It is vital that building operators and owners take steps to protect building data, maintain system security and ensure compliance with federal and industry guidelines.

We begin in the design phase, determining engineering specifications, performing audits and sharing best practice guidance to enhance your facility’s control system cybersecurity. Throughout the project, we collaborate with all disciplines and integrators to develop the most resilient design possible. This integrated approach ensures cybersecurity is woven throughout the entire design of the building, before it even opens.

We work closely with the entire development team to find weak spots and vulnerabilities in facility-related control systems, electronic security systems, fire life safety systems, utility monitoring and control systems, and Internet of Things or IOT and cloud-based systems. Our facility control system cybersecurity advisory services can help identify the overall strategy and approach for cybersecurity, while risk and vulnerability assessments may identify issues with connections between different systems – for example, elevator access systems that are linked to a human resources or tenant database in order to control floor access. Similarly, our team can help identify cyber hygiene best practices for everything from separating internet traffic to safeguarding the digital content management system that feeds information to lobby display screens; and we can issue the engineering specifications to put the cybersecurity strategy into practice.