While UK governments have been urged to make cybersecurity a priority in an increasingly digitised economy, businesses must take responsibility for their own systems – and be wary of weak links.
Airbus has been hit by a series of attacks over the last 12 months, with hackers targeting its supply chains in a bid to breach its systems.
While large companies remain the prime target, small and medium sized companies are increasingly being targeted by hackers.
According to research by insurance firm Hiscox, the percentage of small companies (under 50 employees) that reported one or more cyber attacks has increased from 33 per cent to 47 per cent over the last 12 months.
For medium sized firms with between 50 and 249 employees, the proportion has jumped from 36 per cent to 63 per cent.
Recent research from the Federation of Small Businesses suggests small firms in the UK are collectively subject to 10,000 cyber attacks per day, with the annual cost of such attacks estimated to be £4.5bn.
Prevention is better than cure. Smart buildings require intelligence not only in the way that they function, but in the way they are designed to resist cyber attack.
I-bee can assist you in your journey to become cyber secure; please get in touch to find out more.
The UK’s commitment to decarbonise the economy will require massive gains in energy efficiency.
That is driving a need for smarter, more efficient infrastructure and buildings, with increasing penetration of internet-connected devices and control systems.
The challenge, however, lies in building a secure internet of things (IoT).
As the number of connected devices increases – with up to 75bn IoT devices forecast by 2025 – so does the attack surface for hackers.
Many legacy devices, such as heating and cooling systems, were not designed to simply connect to the internet – and controls systems can be a prime entry point for bad actors.
Simply by plugging into an Ethernet port or via an open WiFi network, hackers can instantly access building systems - from HVAC and refrigeration to security and CCTV.
Access via these areas can enable attackers to access financial information, employee and customer data, or in the worst cases, shut down operations entirely.
Hackers will use what might appear to be the least important parts of a networked system to exploit vulnerabilities. Even a fish tank.