The building and construction industry has been slow to embrace digitalization. However, as tools like building information modeling (BIM) become more accessible and their advantages become clearer, that’s starting to change. That’s largely a positive shift, but firms should consider their cybersecurity posture at the same time.

BIM’s adoption is quickly growing as its benefits for 3D modeling become increasingly difficult to ignore. Despite these benefits, this surge in use may introduce and heighten privacy and security risks across the sector if users don’t implement stronger cybersecurity controls.

How BIM Introduces Privacy and Security Risks

To know how to use BIM safely, architecture and construction firms must first understand its risks. Most of these come from the software’s data consolidation and sharing. Because these tools keep so much information from so many separate processes in one place, they can be tempting targets for cybercriminals.

BIM projects may include sensitive information like financial data, employees’ names and other contact info, intellectual property, or project schedules. Much of this data is crucial to the firm or client, so they may be willing to go to further lengths to ensure they don’t lose it. Consequently, ransomware attacks, which impacted 71% of global organizations in 2022, could earn cybercriminals higher paydays.

Alternatively, cybercriminals could use personally identifiable information (PII) from BIM solutions to breach people’s personal accounts. Whether they use it themselves or sell it to other criminals on the dark web, this data could give people access to social media profiles, bank services, or other accounts.

Cybercriminals could even use BIM programs to cause physical damage. They could look at schedules to learn when teams won’t be on-site, then break into worksites to steal or break equipment when they’re empty. Hackers may also corrupt or delete BIM records, leading teams to act on inaccurate data, which could have considerable negative consequences.

Rising Risk Factors

These BIM privacy and security risks are already concerning, but they’re growing increasingly severe. Much of this comes from BIM’s rapid rise in adoption. As consumers choose to make more sustainable purchases, more construction firms are implementing tools like BIM that boost sustainability. More use means more data in these solutions for cybercriminals to target.

BIM isn’t the only digital tool the building and construction industry is implementing today. These solutions often integrate with other digital technologies like cloud computing platforms, internet of things (IoT) devices, and remote collaboration platforms. While convenient, these integrations mean BIM projects are growing increasingly data-rich, making them more valuable targets.

This digitization has also led to a rise in cybercrime targeting construction companies. Construction is the third most-targeted industry for ransomware attacks, a trend that’s grown as the sector has implemented more digital technologies while being unaccustomed to protecting them. The combination of having valuable data going online and not being aware of how to secure it makes the industry a prime target.

Steps to Improve BIM Privacy and Cybersecurity

As BIM adoption rises, firms must recognize the potential risks it poses. However, these concerns don’t necessarily mean it’s too dangerous to justify its benefits. Construction companies can use the technology safely by following these steps.

1. Perform a Risk Analysis

The first step to improving BIM cybersecurity is assessing what specific risks these solutions pose in an organization. Teams should review what data their BIM solution can access, how it might be vulnerable, and what kind of damage it could cause if breached. These insights will inform further security measures.

Each project has a unique risk profile. As green construction technology becomes more popular, some projects may include connected infrastructure to minimize energy consumption. These heighten security needs, as IoT devices expand data access but have minimal built-in protections, but not every building will have them. If they aren’t present on a project, teams don’t need to worry about securing them.

Given the industry’s general lack of experience in this area, it may be necessary to turn to a third-party security provider. These professionals can run tests using the latest technologies and trends to find where and how BIM security measures should improve.

2. Rethink Access Privileges

Next, firms should reconsider how they allow various parties to access BIM data. One of BIM’s greatest advantages is how easy it makes it to keep everyone informed, but not everyone needs every piece of information. Restricting access privileges can help minimize risks.

During the risk assessment, teams should’ve discovered which data is the most sensitive. This information should be the most restricted, ideally only available to people who need it to perform their job correctly. In particularly sensitive cases, that may mean restricting access only to team leads or department heads.

Being more careful about who can access BIM records will shrink the attack surface. It’ll also ensure that one breached account won’t necessarily give a cybercriminal access to all of the data in a project.

3. Implement Identity Verification Controls

Of course, restricting access privileges only works if every account is who they say they are. BIM software should go beyond a simple username and password to verify users’ identities.

One of the most effective identity verification methods is multi-factor authentication (MFA). These controls use a second step, like texting a one-time password to the user’s phone, so they need more than just a password to get in. As simple as that sounds, security experts say it can prevent between 80 and 90% of cyberattacks.

Many programs have MFA features built in, but they’re not always enabled by default. Firms should turn MFA on and make it mandatory for all users to help minimize the risks of a breached account.

4. Train All Users in Security Best Practices

Next, architecture and construction firms must make basic cybersecurity part of all employees’ training. Many attacks target natural human weaknesses rather than weak points in a system’s technical defenses. The way to stop these and accidental data leaks is to teach people some best practices.

Security training should include strong password management, going over why users need strong, unique passwords. Similarly, everyone should know how to spot phishing attempts, which normally are unusually urgent and come from suspicious-looking email domains. A good rule of thumb to instilling in everyone is never to click on a link that doesn’t come from a trusted, verified source.

This security training should apply to anyone with access privileges in BIM. It’s also important to hold regular refresher courses in addition to teaching workers these steps in onboarding. That way, the firm can avoid complacency and forgetfulness leading to damaging mistakes.

5. Clarify Security Requirements for All Parties

Similarly, firms must clarify everyone’s security responsibilities in any project. Because cybersecurity is a new concept for the industry, many contractors or other involved parties may not understand how their actions can jeopardize the entire project’s security. Defining specific roles and responsibilities can help everyone know what they should and shouldn’t do.

This clarification is also important because security severity and required actions change depending on people’s roles. Generally speaking, the higher the clearance someone has, the higher the cybersecurity standards they must meet. A subcontractor with no BIM access may not have to worry much about data storage locations, but a project manager will.

Once again, this step should follow the initial risk analysis. Responsibilities and requirements should match varying risk levels between parties and the data they can access.

6. Use Reliable Security Software

One straightforward but still often overlooked step to manage BIM risks is to use security software. Surveys show fewer than 40% of small construction firms plan to invest in cybersecurity, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. While firms don’t need to invest much, buying reliable anti-malware software is a good start.

Automated network monitoring solutions are also helpful. These tools will watch for unusual activity and flag anything suspicious, helping teams stop BIM attacks before they cause much damage. Automated software like this is particularly useful, as construction companies likely lack the staff with the appropriate expertise to watch for and stop cyberattacks.

Of course, vulnerabilities can come from software vendors, too. Firms should research available options before paying for any to find a reliable solution that meets their specific needs.

7. Keep All Software Up-to-Date

Finally, it’s important to remember that cybersecurity is always changing. Cybercriminals will come up with new ways to infiltrate programs, so software developers will create new patches to defend against them. Firms must update their software regularly to keep up with these changes.

Enabling automatic updates ensures teams always have the latest protections. Without these updates, BIM solutions may quickly become vulnerable without workers knowing it.

This practice applies to BIM platforms, antivirus software, and any other programs firms use. While updates alone won’t solve all of a business’s cybersecurity concerns, they’re an important step to becoming safer.

BIM Is Important but Requires Careful Implementation

BIM is one of the most helpful tools construction companies have at their disposal today. While the rising need for sustainability and efficiency makes BIM a clear necessity, its security and privacy risks require caution.

Firms must recognize and address these concerns to use BIM safely. Comprehensive cybersecurity enables safe, efficient BIM usage, but without it, these tools may quickly become dangerous.

Author : Jane Marsh