The construction industry is increasingly becoming a prime target for cyberattacks, driven by the extensive use of third-party suppliers, vast amounts of personal data, and the significant financial stakes involved in projects. Despite clear warning signs that appear all too frequently in the media, many companies in the industry still view cybersecurity as an afterthought. We have found that this is largely because most business owners don’t see their data as being particularly valuable to threat actors, not considering that it is exactly as valuable as whatever they would be willing to pay to get it back.
Safeguarding Information and Enhancing End-User Behavior
The cornerstone of cybersecurity in construction remains the tried-and-true practices of information security and end-user behavior. Given the sensitive data involved—from contractor and investor information to supplier details—everyone in the construction process must understand and follow regulatory and cybersecurity best practices. This awareness helps prevent data breaches caused by malicious actors and unintentional mistakes or accidentally deleting or failing to archive emails that could be needed for litigation or defense.
Securing the Supply Chain
Managing a construction supply chain involves many subcontractors and suppliers exchanging digital information alongside physical goods and services. This digital exchange extends beyond the obvious players to include essential service providers, like email and accounting software companies.
Cyberattacks on your suppliers can be as harmful as those targeting your business, providing a backdoor for threats to infiltrate your organization. To mitigate this risk, it’s essential to implement robust cybersecurity measures when collaborating with suppliers and partners. Some spooky wisdom from days past… “Trust No One.”
Begin by mapping out your entire supply chain and identifying the highest-risk vendors. Understand their security protocols and ensure your contracts clearly outline each party’s security responsibilities.
Cyber Insurance: A Reactive Measure
While cyber insurance is often included in the cost of a construction project, it’s primarily a reactive measure, focusing on financial mitigation rather than prevention. Even with insurance, breaches that leak personally identifiable information (PII) or other sensitive data online can cause significant project delays. It’s also important to note that having a policy comes with implementing proactive safeguard measures to align with the policy requirements.
Next Steps: Partnering with Aktion for Cybersecurity Excellence
Partnering with a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) like Aktion can make all the difference in effectively addressing cybersecurity challenges in the construction industry. You’ll want to ensure your technology partner has the expertise to bridge knowledge gaps, ensure any required compliance, and streamline data management across your organization, ultimately strengthening your cybersecurity posture.
At Aktion, our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services are designed to prevent and contain threats within large environments, minimizing potential damage. Our expertise extends to protecting sensitive data, implementing, continually auditing, and testing the most effective security measures. This includes Vulnerability Management as a Service (VMaaS), which ensures your digital assets are fortified against malicious actors.
Aktion’s holistic approach to cyber threat management enables us to assess, manage, and advise on potential risk exposure. We offer custom network and infrastructure hardening plans and maturity roadmaps tailored to your business, helping you advance your cybersecurity controls at every stage.
With Aktion on your side, you can rest assured that compromises and data exposures are challenges you’ll never have to face alone. Are you eager to strengthen your cybersecurity?
Contact one of our experts today.
Aktion Cybersecurity Team • 2024
Mike Kaufman, Vice President of the Managed Infrastructure & Cloud Services (MICS) Division, leads the team responsible for helping companies develop a modern IT strategy that includes a combination of cloud hosting, managed platform and application services and on-premise technology.