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BACnet Insight

Cybersecurity and Building Digitization –

a Broad Range of New Challenges

Data Processing Processing Functions
Data Points
Communicative
GA Management

Building (Real-Time) Real-Time Analysis
Data Network Data Lake Technical Monitoring Predictive Analysis

Data Points Smart Building Data Acquisition
Physical
no data
management Data Provisioning
Additional Systems
Data
Swamp Reports

Evaluation Data
Warehouse
Data management model in the building. © M&P GmbH Analysis

A fully connected building offers many the “Internet of Things”, which enables many ulation of the cooling technology or unauthor-
advantages but can become a nightmare devices with smart, networked functions. ized access via the access control system. This
for every operator and user if cyber secu- requires a high level of attention to cyber secu-
rity is not considered. However, a neces- New challenges due to comprehensive rity in the building by all parties involved. The
sary consideration of the entire life cycle interconnection core component of cyber security for the oper-
can reduce the pain and must therefore ating technology of a building (OT security for
begin at the requirements planning stage. One challenge is handling the flood of informa- short) is the recording of goods/processes wor-
tion provided by the building. The fundamental thy of protection, assessment, and reduction
Building digitization can be described with many question is, what information do I need to be able of the risk through appropriate protective mea-
synonyms, whether it's smart building in func- to carry out my operating processes comfort- sures. Risk management encompasses all infor-
tional buildings or smart home in your own four ably, safely and efficiently? It is also important mation recorded in the building and the associ-
walls. The basic idea is always the same: the to ask who should process the recorded building ated system interfaces.
complete networking of building technology to data, when and how. This requires consideration
generate added value in terms of safety, comfort of the intelligent management of building data The planner: intermediary between
and efficiency in building operation with the help at an early stage. Another challenge is the con- demand and operation
of information and clever algorithms. The basis nection of the devices and systems themselves.
for this is a resilient IP-based network infra- The number of protocols and interfaces in the The task of converting and implementing the
structure that can map both current and future building is manifold. Starting with proprietary requirements of a user into an operational build-
requirements. bus systems, through standardized building pro- ing is the responsibility of the planner. A differen-
tocols to universal IoT protocols. Comprehensive tiated view between technology and organization
Building digitalization as a “driver of knowledge and management of system-internal and processes is essential here. Fundamen-
networks” and external interfaces, as well as information tally, technology has no added value for opera-
management, are key components of success- tions without the associated structures and pro-
The sheer volume of information that will have ful building digitization. cesses. What use is highly digitized monitoring
to be processed in various systems in the future if the company cannot interpret the information
can only be guessed about. Whether multi- As great as the opportunities offered by con- provided? Planning can only provide the technol-
sensors or communicative pumps and con- nectivity are, they also pose major risks. Cre- ogy. Organization and processes must be struc-
trol valves, these components already provide a ating connections between systems creates the tured as correctly as possible first. The diffi-
large amount of data that can be recorded and potential for attacks on the building's various culty in the field of digitization lies in mapping
evaluated. Even more data can be expected from systems. This can result in sabotage or manip- all the new challenges. One component of this is

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