International. Building Cyber Security (BCS), a non-profit organization that enhances global security by developing cybersecurity protections for smart buildings and communities, confirmed a partnership with the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) to offer its members resources, training and tools to mitigate cyber risk in facility operations.
To protect against these threats and increasing liability, facilities management (FM) professionals must have resources and industry best practices available to assess vulnerabilities and protect information systems (IT) and operations technologies (OT).
Through this partnership, facility managers who need to protect their own technologies, as well as customer building systems and tenant safety, now have access to standards and capabilities designed specifically for tenant and facility protection in the commercial real estate ecosystem.
The legacy approach to building security needs to be updated to account for the sophistication and impact of cyber threats. In today's interconnected world, physical security and cybersecurity in the built environment are inextricably linked. Experts from all disciplines must come together to create a comprehensive and coordinated approach to security. IFMA's collaboration with BCS will offer FMs the tools and training to better communicate, coordinate and collaborate with IT and OT cybersecurity professionals to achieve a safer, more efficient and sustainable built environment.
"The integration of physical and cyber security procedures has become more critical. Whether leading or supporting these efforts, facilities management professionals are critical to ensuring the safety of the organization's people and assets. By partnering with Building Cyber Security, we can provide crucial insights and enhance BCS's skills in technology, processes and cyber-physical framework to our members," said IFMA President and CEO Don Gilpin.
BCS CEO Lucian Niemeyer added: "The widespread adoption of smart buildings and PropTech, aimed at improving both operational efficiency and tenant experiences in commercial properties, also poses new cybersecurity challenges and dangers for owners, asset operators and CEOs who can rapidly devalue an asset. Our BCS team has pioneered an easy-to-use performance framework, based on universally accepted industry benchmarks, for facility managers to recognize and assess cyber risks in building systems and technology. We also offer facility assessment and certifications to mitigate cyber threat risk."
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