Curious to know what’s making smart building security so hot right now in construction?
Well, smart buildings are the future. Every modern building owner and property manager is looking to use the power of smart tech to save money, increase efficiency and offer better experiences to their tenants. After all, automated, intelligent, smart buildings have many impressive benefits.
They use less energy. Systems like HVAC and lighting can run automatically, with sensors optimizing energy use. They can also be maintained easily, alerting managers when things break. Occupants also experience higher comfort as systems can be personalized and monitored.
So of course, this is the dream for building owners. What could go wrong?
Here’s the problem:
Connectivity comes with risk. While smart technology makes buildings efficient and responsive, it also opens them up to cyber attack. Hackers can target exposed smart building systems to cause all sorts of trouble.
This is exactly what is happening. Smart building attacks are increasing rapidly. Cyber criminals are specifically targeting connected buildings because they know security is often an afterthought. Building automation systems were created for convenience and operational efficiency – not security – and that’s what makes them so vulnerable.
The good news is that there are proven advanced security solutions that allow your building to remain “smart” and connected without leaving it wide open to modern cyber threats.
This article will break down each advanced security solution that is needed to protect your connected building today.
These are exactly the strategies the most proactive building managers are using to protect their property and not sacrifice function.
You’ll discover:
- Why Smart Buildings Are Under Attack
- The Real Cost of Security Breaches
- 6x Advanced Security Solutions That Work
- Building Your Security Strategy
Why Smart Buildings Are Under Attack
Smart building security is a critical necessity that can make or break your property investment.
37.8% of smart building systems were targeted by malicious attacks in six months according to research from Kaspersky. That’s more than 1 in 3 smart buildings experiencing a cyber attack in less than half a year.
The Attack Surface is Massive
Smart buildings today are essentially massive networks of connected devices. Every smart sensor, controller, or automated building system creates a potential entry point for cyber criminals. Sensors controlling HVAC, security cameras, automated lighting, elevators, fire safety systems, energy monitoring equipment – they’re all connected.
Every one of these systems is talking to each other through the same network. If a hacker compromises one system, it’s relatively easy for them to access others as well.
It’s not uncommon for building operators to not even realize how many connected devices they have in their facility. A smart building complex with 3,000 IoT devices spread out over multiple floors is not rare.
Hackers Know Buildings are Vulnerable
Cybercriminals target smart buildings precisely because security is often an afterthought. This means attackers can easily exploit systems using default passwords that were never changed, unencrypted data communications, unpatched software, and extremely basic access controls.
The Human Element
Buildings are only as strong as their weakest link, and often, this is the human element. 90% of all cyber incidents result from human error or behavior.
Employees clicking on phishing emails, using weak passwords that are re-used across multiple systems, connecting unsecured personal devices to building networks, and not updating security systems all contribute to smart building risk.
The Real Cost of Security Breaches
A single cyber attack on a smart building can cost millions. Johnson Controls reported $27 million in losses from a ransomware attack in September 2023.
Operations are affected across the board. Elevators stop working. HVAC systems fail. Security cameras go dark. Fire safety systems may even malfunction in an emergency. Property values go down. Tenant confidence is shaken. It becomes harder to attract new occupants and the public trust in your property erodes.
The frequency of attacks is going up too. Cyber attacks increased 30% just in Q2 2024 alone, for a total of 1,636 weekly attacks per organization. Organizations are getting hit more than 200 times a day.
Smart buildings are a particularly juicy target for cybercriminals because:
- They contain valuable data from multiple tenants
- Operations disruptions create immediate pressure to pay ransoms
- Many systems lack basic security measures by default
- Building operators may lack dedicated cybersecurity expertise
6x Advanced Security Solutions That Work
Don’t despair, there are multiple advanced security solutions that can help you to secure your smart building without sacrificing its functionality:
- Network Segmentation
- Zero Trust Architecture
- AI-Powered Threat Detection
- Automated Security Updates
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Comprehensive Monitoring & Response
1. Network Segmentation
Network segmentation is the practice of dividing a network into distinct zones with their own security measures. Your building’s network gets divided up such that HVAC has its own segment, security cameras have a different segment, tenant Wi-Fi has its own network, and critical safety systems are completely isolated.
If a hacker compromises one network segment, they can’t automatically access the others as well.
2. Zero Trust Architecture
Zero Trust means every time something tries to connect to your network, that request is verified no matter where it comes from. Even if the credentials are correct, it then continuously checks permissions for that connection. It’s based on the principles: never trust, always verify; assume every network is already compromised; provide minimal access needed; and monitor all network activity in real time.
3. AI-Powered Threat Detection
AI-powered security solutions can learn what normal building operations look like then immediately flag anything anomalous. They can monitor and detect unusual data transfer patterns, access attempts, device behavior, and potential malware in real-time. The more the system learns, the better it gets.
4. Automated Security Updates
Manually keeping thousands of connected building devices updated with security patches is a logistical nightmare. Automated update systems should have central patch management, automated testing before deployment, scheduled maintenance windows, and rollback capabilities.
Over 90% of successful breaches use known vulnerabilities that were never patched.
5. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-Factor Authentication is the practice of requiring multiple forms of verification before allowing access. This could include something you know (password), something you have (phone or security token), or something you are (biometric).
6. Comprehensive Monitoring & Response
Advanced monitoring systems give you 24/7 visibility into everything happening on your building’s network. This includes real-time alerts for suspicious activity, detailed system access logs, automated response to common threats, and integration with SOC’s for more advanced threat response.
Building Your Security Strategy
Don’t feel like you have to implement all of this at once. Network segmentation and MFA can be set up relatively quickly and provide big security improvements with little disruption to normal operations. Then you can layer on additional solutions as your team gets more comfortable with each step.
Security isn’t a one-time project, it’s a continuous process. Threats will continue to evolve, so your building’s security solutions must keep up.
Wrapping It All Together
Advanced security solutions are not an optional luxury for modern smart buildings – they are a necessity for survival. With attacks hitting organizations once or even multiple times per week, the question is not if your building will be targeted, but if you will be ready when it is.
The advanced security solutions I’ve covered provide many layers of protection to your building without sacrificing its “smart” benefits. By using the six solutions systematically, you can reduce your overall attack surface, detect threats faster, automatically respond to incidents, and keep operations running efficiently.
The cost of prevention is always much lower than the cost of recovery after an attack. Start building your smart building security strategy today.