Cyberattacks on organizations increased by 40% in 2021, and 2022 is expected to be a much more harmful and costly year in terms of guarding against cybercrimes. Increasingly, cybercriminals worldwide have been looking for ways to benefit from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with mini to medium-sized enterprises being the most susceptible.

Construction is among the most affected industries by ransomware. Ransomware is a virus type that takes control of the targeted device and holds it hostage until the affected organization pays the price to recover access, generally in the form of cryptocurrencies.

According to industry professionals, construction organizations are most prone to financial loss via email correspondence, spyware, and ransomware, mainly exploiting smart building technologies.

How are Construction Tech Businesses at Risk?

Construction businesses use automation during the mixing and measuring of substances or chemicals used in a production process. Construction professionals employ automation to verify structural integrity throughout the post-manufacturing phase, like load testing, surface hardness assessments, and surface absorption tests.

Since they employ IT and cloud-enabled technologies with inadequate defensive measures, the operations that go through the mixing and measuring of building materials are susceptible to attacks. A cyberattack on such capabilities may wreak damage well beyond organizations’ wallets.

According to cybersecurity specialists, these technological solutions are appealing targets for cybercriminals. As a result, if the technologies become a focus for an adversary, catastrophic failure is a genuine possibility.

Rising Threat Level

The focus on cyber security appears as the Biden-led administration just issued a warning to businesses to beef up their cyber defenses. It cited new evidence suggesting Russia may conduct a retaliatory operation against the United States and its supporters. The government did not name specific targets, but its continuous warnings against cyber-crimes are intended to strengthen critical infrastructure protection.

Malicious actors are focusing their efforts on the large, profitable construction industry, which has a reputation for being a cybersecurity slacker. These worst possible scenario intrusions, according to R. Johnson, are a worry in the sector.

How Can Construction Tech Businesses Protect Themselves from Ransomware?

Despite the fact that ransomware assaults are changing, there exist some simple cybersecurity strategies that a construction technology business can employ:

• Businesses can ensure that their staff uses secure and distinctive passwords to log in to their systems. Moreover, they may incorporate multi-factor verification if possible.
• Construction businesses can protect their email by teaching their employees to spot phishing scams, especially when emails contain files and links.
• They can implement strict data storing and retrieving procedures regularly. For this, an encrypted cloud-based solution could be the best security option.
• They can employ zero-trust access to the network, which means that each employee’s request to access online resources must be allowed only after their identification has been appropriately validated.

Final Thoughts

Cybersecurity has been an ever-changing part of any profitable and long-lasting construction tech business. Preventive measures are the right strategy to fight against cybercrime, as catastrophic events are much less likely to occur in such a case.