• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • RCR Wireless News
  • Enterprise IoT
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Advertise
  • Webinars
  • Reports
  • White Papers
  • Subscribe

In-Building Tech

Connecting CRE building technology buyers with CRE tech sellers

720×90

  • Industry
    • Office & Commercial
    • Data Center, Network Hotels
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Higher Ed
    • Hospitality
    • K-12
    • Laboratory & Scientific
    • Manufacturing
    • Multi-Family
    • Transportation: Airports, Rail, Ports
    • Smart City
    • Stadiums, Arenas, Venues
  • Tech
    • Drones
    • AI-Machine-Learning
    • Wi-Fi
    • Augmented Reality
    • IoT (platform, gateway)
    • Networks
    • 5G Resources
    • Microcontrollers
    • Microprocessors
    • Data Analytics
    • Wired Networks, Fiber
    • Wireless (Cell, DAS, BDA, Repeaters, Boosters)
    • Positioning, GPS, Navigation
    • Security
    • Sensors
  • Systems
    • Energy
    • Lighting
    • HVAC
    • Security
  • Functions
    • Automation
    • Building Management
    • Construction
    • Asset Management (EAM)
    • Materials
    • Maintenace (MRO)
  • Smart Buildings
  • News & Event Coverage
  • In-Building Wireless
  • About In-Building Tech
  • Qualcomm 5G Insights
You are here: Home / Smart Buildings / Nearly 40% of smart building systems were targeted by spyware in H1: Study

Nearly 40% of smart building systems were targeted by spyware in H1: Study

September 24, 2019 by Juan Pedro Tomás

 
smart buildings

 

Almost 40% of computers used to control smart building automation system were subject to some kind of malicious attack in the first half of 2019, according to a recent study conducted by global cybersecurity specialist Kaspersky.

This study concluded that while it is unclear if such systems were deliberately targeted, they often become a destination for various generic threats. Despite not being sophisticated, many of these threats may pose significant danger to everyday smart building operations, Kaspersky said.

“Smart building automation systems typically consist of sensors and controllers used to monitor and automate the operation of elevators, ventilation, climate controls, electricity and water supplies, fire alarms, video surveillance, access controls and many other critical information and security systems. These systems are generally managed and controlled via generic workstations, which are often connected to the internet,” Kaspersky said in a release. “A successful attack against such a workstation can easily result in the failure of one or several critically important smart building systems. Based on analysis of telemetry processed by around 40 thousand randomly chosen Kaspersky security solutions, deployed at smart buildings around the world, cyberattacks that could cause such damage are a reality.”

Out of the 37.8% of protected smart building systems management computers that were targeted, more than 11% were attacked with different variants of spyware, which is malware aimed at stealing account credentials and other valuable information. Worms were detected on 10.8% of workstations; 7.8% received phishing scams, and 4.2% encountered ransomware.

According to the study, most of these threats came from the internet, with 26% of infection attempts being web-born. Removable media, including flash sticks, external hard drives and others, were responsible for the threats in 10% of cases; another 10% of threats came via email links and attachments. Also, 1.5% of smart building computers were attacked from sources within the organization network, such as shared folders.

Kaspersky’s report showed that Italy had the highest percentage of attacked smart building computers, with 48.5%, followed by Spain (47.6%), the U.K. (44.4%), Czech Republic (42.1%) and Romania (41.7%).

“While these figures are relatively low in comparison to the wider threat landscape, their impact should not be underestimated. Imagine if credentials from a highly secured building are stolen by a generic piece of malware and then sold on the black market. Or a sophisticated building’s life support system is frozen because essential processes have been encrypted by yet another ransomware strain. The list of possible scenarios is endless. We urge security teams, whose area of responsibility covers IT networks of smart buildings, not to forget that they need protection,”  said Kirill Kruglov, security researcher at Kaspersky ICS CERT.

 

Related

Filed Under: Smart Buildings

About Juan Pedro Tomás

Juan Pedro covers Global Carriers and Global Enterprise IoT. Prior to Arden Media Company, Juan Pedro worked for Business News Americas, covering telecoms and IT news in the Latin American markets. He also worked for Telecompaper as their Regional Editor for Latin America and Asia/Pacific. Juan Pedro has also contributed to Latin Trade magazine as the publication's correspondent in Argentina and with political risk consultancy firm Exclusive Analysis, writing reports and providing political and economic information from certain Latin American markets. He has a degree in International Relations and a master in Journalism and is married with two kids.

Contact Juan Pedro at [email protected]

Primary Sidebar

Sponsors

Search

300×350

300×100

CommScope forsees CBRS taking shape

Categories

Top Posts & Pages

  • In-Building Tech: Technology Insights for Commercial Real Estate Professionals
    In-Building Tech: Technology Insights for Commercial Real Estate Professionals
  • Buildings IoT provides smart building solution for new Chicago building
    Buildings IoT provides smart building solution for new Chicago building
  • What is a distributed energy system?
    What is a distributed energy system?

RSS Enterprise IoT Insights

  • The diversity of private network use cases demands multi-vendor solutions
  • CTS provides CBRS private wireless network for sinkhole detection in Florida
  • Turkcell, Ericsson claim first 5G autonomous mobile robot demo in Turkey

Recent Posts

  • Honeywell invests in RapidSOS emergency response data platform
  • ‘Buildings have to be programmable,’ says Cisco’s smart building lead
  • View to install smart windows at Skanska office project in Seattle

Archives

Tweets by InBuildingTech
  • RCR Wireless News
  • Enterprise IoT
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Advertise
  • Webinars
  • Reports
  • White Papers
  • Subscribe

Copyright © 2022 • Arden Media Company, LLC

 

Loading Comments...
 

    This site uses cookies to improve and personalize your experience and to display advertisements. This site may also include cookies from third parties. By using this site you consent to the use of cookies.AcceptPrivacy Policy