Cyber Security in the Construction Industry
If you were to ask the average person to name the industries that have been effected the most by the rise in cyber attacks, construction would probably be pretty far down their list.
However, the construction industry, like most other industries, has adopted a huge number of different technologies in recent times as they look to streamline processes and increase productivity.
If you are involved in construction site security cyber security should be just as much of a priority for you as the CCTV and fences you have installed to prevent criminals from physically gaining access to your premises.
In the age of digital information and intellectual property, sensitive data is as valuable as any material or machine and building a strong cyber network is essential to achieving the growth you are looking for.
In this blog we will look at cyber security in more detail with a specific focus on the construction industry, covering everything from data protection to biometric entry scanner operation.
Don’t forget the supply chain
Most building site managers are aware that they need to have tight cyber security on their own systems to prevent the theft of sensitive data.
However, just as important are the security of the systems that you use when dealing with other stakeholders such as suppliers and sub-contractors.
In construction, the supply chain is long with many links combining on a daily basis. A single break or weakness can spell complete disaster for your company and cybercriminals will be constantly on the lookout for weak points they can use to obtain unauthorised access or disrupt operations.
Make sure that every single communication or invoice you send along the supply chain is secure and encrypted to avoid disaster.
Comply with GDPR
Even if you are lucky enough that you lack of appropriate cyber security does not result in IP theft or similar cyber crime it could still harm your business.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is just one of the regulations that governs how sensitive data must be handled by the modern business.
Compliance should be your top priority when designing your security system as a failure to comply can result in serious legal consequences including fines and at worse a suspension of trading licences.
Furthermore, if information gets out that you have been found lacking in your data protection, acquiring contracts in the future will instantly become a whole lot more challenging.
Develop an incident response plan
All potential security threats, both physical and cyber should be prepared for accordingly to maximise the effectiveness of your response should the worst happen.
All staff should be made aware of the protocol in the event of a cyber attack including details such as communication strategies and recovery processes.
Some of the top companies in the world with the strongest possible cyber protection systems have fallen victim to cyber crime in the past few years but with the right response plan in place you can ensure that even if you are the next, the damage done will be kept to an absolute minimum.
