24 Oct2023
Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Is your Building Management System properly protected?
This October marks the 20th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month which explores ways to secure technology and protect business-critical infrastructures, helping to enable the safe use of technology and inform users on how to protect against cybercrime.In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are asking the critical question: Is your Building Management System properly protected?
Why BMS security is vital
A modern BMS is a wide-reaching digital system able to connect and control parts of your building and the services within it, from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) to lighting, CCTV, visitor access and much more.This connectivity helps your business to run more smoothly and efficiently, keep costs down and save energy. To meet the demands of a modern building, it can mean that these complex, interconnected systems need to also connect to the Internet and access cloud-based interfaces. But it is in this connectivity that danger lies.
As systems develop and become more connected, they can become more vulnerable to cyber criminals looking to access a building’s system, with the intention of causing havoc to operations. The smallest hack can have an impact on any business and new types of system vulnerabilities are being uncovered all the time.
As well as a hacker being able to gain unauthorised access to the day-to-day running of a building, the addition of IoT devices and sensors can increase the risk of cyber crimes, such as malware attacks, ransomware attacks and denial of service attacks, which can bring operations to a halt, costing businesses thousands in lost revenue.
Managing physical network access and BMS security correctly and having the right cybersecurity solutions in place for the early detection of threats is the way to tackle this threat.
How to keep systems safe
In order to gain the maximum cybersecurity for your BMS, it is important to ensure you are aware of all devices which have any connection to and communication with external devices. In addition, your BMS should be able to:- Spot and troubleshoot for any cyber incidents or system failures
- Raise alerts for any security issues or maintenance needs
- Assess and prioritise risks
- Respond with appropriate action to any cybersecurity risk
- Quickly recover from a cybersecurity event
- Put measures in place to avoid repeat incidents
- Provide regular security updates
Speak to a member of the team today about how we can create a cohesive approach to your cybersecurity and never be caught out by cyber crime again.
Get In Touch
Cube Controls is an established and experienced supplier of Building Management Systems, specialising in the design and set up of bespoke environmental and energy control programmes for commercial buildings and property.To find out how Cube Controls can support you at all stages of design and consultancy, installation and modification and maintenance of your building management systems contact our expert and friendly team on 01903 694279 or sales@cubecontrols.co.uk.