A strong cybersecurity posture is essential for Building Management Systems to mitigate the risks associated with interconnected devices and systems. Building Management System Overview A Building Management System (BMS), also known as a Building Automation System (BAS) or Building Control System (BCS), is a computer-based control system that manages and monitors the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a building. These connected components include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, lighting, access control, elevators, life safety, and more. BMS systems are ..read more

The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the way we live and work. With billions of connected devices, from smartphones to home appliances, building controls and industrial machinery, our world is more interconnected than ever before. However, this connectivity also brings with it significant security risks. Cybersecurity plays a crucial role in ensuring that data from IoT devices are secure and protected from malicious attacks. In this blog post, we will explore the challenges faced in securing IoT communications and how organizations like Veridify are leading the way in providing cyb ..read more

Growth in Cybercrime Cybercrime is not just a threat to data and privacy; it also comes with a significant monetary cost. The monetary damage of reported cybercrime in the United States grew steadily from 2001-2017, and then accelerated starting in 2018. There was a year-over-year increase of around 50 percent from 2021 to 2022. Since this is just for reported cybercrime, the damages could be significantly higher due to unreported cybercrime incidents or unknown incidents. In the US, phishing and personal data breaches were among the most reported categories of cybercrime in 2022. Source: Sta ..read more

BACnet is a commonly used protocol for building automation and operational technology (OT) systems, and is used to establish communication between various devices in a network. Because BACnet-based building systems were originally deployed in isolated (air-gapped) environments, BACnet was not designed with security. Therefore, millions of BACnet devices are lacking common security mechanisms such as user authorization, device authentication, and data encryption. This makes BACnet devices inherently unsecure and vulnerable to attacks. BACnet Security Issues and Vulnerabilities Here are several ..read more

Managing BACnet/SC security certificates can be a challenging task, especially for large buildings. Just recently at the AHR Expo 2024, we learned of a project that had over 300 devices and the decision was made to use 10-year security certificates due to the multiple days (3-4) of labor needed to deploy BACnet/SC security certificates. The owners didn’t want to pay for the systems integrator go through the effort to manually update security certificates on a regular basis. From a security perspective, using a 10-year certificate is not much better than having no security at all. Fortunately ..read more

What is BACnet MS/TP? BACnet MS/TP (Master-Slave/Token-Passing) is a widely used communication protocol in building automation and control systems. BACnet MS/TP is implemented with a shared bus and one or more building control devices daisy-chained along the wiring from a controller or a BACnet IP router/gateway. BACnet MS/TP Scalability The maximum number of BACnet MS/TP devices allowed is 128 on the same bus. However, the number of devices that can be connected to a single bus depends on various factors including: Baud Rate Cable length Device responsiveness Device type and function In pra ..read more

Understanding Smart Buildings Smart Buildings are structures equipped with a network of interconnected devices, sensors, and systems that collect and exchange data to optimize various aspects of building operations including operational efficiency, sustainability, occupant comfort and experience. These connected components include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, lighting, access control, elevators, life safety, and more. The integration of these systems allows for centralized control and automation, contributing to energy efficiency, cost savings, and improved occupa ..read more

Veridify Security will be exhibiting at the AHR Expo 2024 in booth S6174. Our demo is getting assembled and being prepared to be shipped to Chicago! Verdify will be exhibiting a live demo of DOME, a building automation cybersecurity platform that protects both new and existing building automation devices.  The newly revised demo platform will showcase: DOME Sentry devices protecting an unprotected building thermostats and controller DOME Sentry device protecting an edge device with BACnet Secure Connect (SC) DOME Client software embedded into an OEM thermostat controller making it inher ..read more

In the annals of technological history, the year 1903 stands as a pivotal moment in the progression of wireless communication. Guglielmo Marconi, the visionary inventor and pioneer of wireless telegraphy, was set to showcase his groundbreaking technology to the world. Little did he know that this momentous occasion would be marred by an unexpected and audacious act of hacking, revealing the vulnerability of early wireless systems and foreshadowing the challenges of our interconnected future. The Setting: Marconi’s Wireless Revolution At the turn of the 20th century, Marconi’s wireless telegrap ..read more

Watch this webinar replay of “Zero Trust OT Security – Stopping Cyber Attacks on Industrial Control Systems (ICS /OT/SCADA)” to learn about applying zero trust security at the device level. This webinar addresses the following topics: ICS cybersecurity standards Existing ICS security approaches Zero Trust and device-level implementation Cybersecurity for existing ICS devices Zero Trust OT Security – Stopping Cyber Attacks on Industrial Control Systems Download the slides (PDF) Learn more about DOME for ICS Contact Us | Request a Demo    The post Zero Trust OT Security – Stopping Cy ..read more