Category: Smart Building

Kaspersky says malicious cyber attacks affecting nearly four in ten smart buildings

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New research from Kaspersky shows 37.8% of computers used to control smart building automation systems were impacted by malicious cyber attacks in the first half of 2019. Most of the blocked threats are neither targeted, nor specific to building-based automation systems, meaning, it is ordinary malware regularly found on corporate networks, unrelated to automation systems.  But the attacks bring side effects with potentially significant impact on the availability and integrity of automation systems.

TIA establishes Single Pair Ethernet Consortium

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The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) established the Single Pair Ethernet Consortium (SPEC) to accelerate the adoption of next-generation operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. Founding members of SPEC include Belden, CommScope, Panduit and the Siemon Company. SPEC will provide vendor-neutral representation for technology leaders and users across the building automation technology ecosystem.

Smart cities could give the visually impaired a new outlook on urban life

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Imagine a city equipped with technology that enables the visually impaired to recognise people, places or even bank notes, helping them to live more independently whether indoors or in a public place. That’s the promise of so-called smart cities, which use things like internet-connected devices and artificial intelligence to improve services and the quality of life for their residents.

Cabling future-ready commercial office buildings

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The concept of networking in office buildings evolving from a competitive selling feature to a necessary fourth utility alongside electricity, gas, and water has developed in the last 10 years. The need to enable more instrumentation and control points inside buildings requires wired and wireless networks to connect them back to the services that orchestrate their overall operations. The fourth utility has to span from basement to roof, and from carpeted floors to the parking garage. Cabling infrastructure that is not future-ready will require replacement or augmentation to accommodate the inevitable changes to the attached active electronics over the cabling’s 20-year useful life.

Cybersecurity’s Path in the Future of BACnet

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No system out there is impenetrable. But BACnet, an ANSI/ASHRAE and global ISO standard that covers a rage of IoT, IP and operational technology devices, is exploitable. The more than 25 million BACnet devices — which include HVAC, lighting controls, ACS, mart meters, elevator controls, UPS and other building automation systems — are easy points of entry even for a novice hacker.

Webinar: Overcome the Technology Gap in Smart Buildings Adoption

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During this free webinar, attendees will gain insights from new research that shows the vast majority of building and security professionals still use outdated and inaccurate methods to account for people during an emergency; to understand visitor location inside the building; and to determine general occupancy. Join us and learn how new technologies can make buildings smarter and improve workplace security. You’ll also learn best practices to improve emergency planning, meet compliance, and optimize resources.

Smart security within the intelligent city

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For the vision of the smart city to be fully realised, there are challenges that need to be overcome. One of the most pressing is around security. Perhaps the question isn’t whether or not security is a concern, but rather whether or not security is being effectively addressed within the cohesive ecosystem of the smart city, and how this is defined.

Report: Smart Buildings Vulnerable To New Malicious Cyber Attack

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Critical internet-connected smart building devices used in countless commercial and industrial properties, have been found to be vulnerable to a new malicious attack, according to cybersecurity researcher Bertin Bervis.The vulnerability exploits the properties in the building automation protocol (Bacnet) which enables technicians and engineers performing monitoring, setup changes and remote control of a wide range of key smart systems that impact temperature control, and other monitoring systems. Bervis analyzed several building automation devices with built-in web applications for remote monitoring and control.