A study conducted by safetydetectives.com reports construction companies are the third most common type of industry to be targeted by hackers, according to equipmentworld.com.
“Construction companies are one of the top targets for cybercriminals, and the U.S. is the number one target on the planet,” says Nick Espinosa, chief security fanatic at the cybersecurity firm Security Fanatics. “In the last few years, the construction industry has woken up to the fact that its members need cybersecurity advice. There's a recognition now in a way that there hasn’t been.”
Equipmentworld.com shares the following reasons why construction companies often are more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
- Construction companies often have inadequate firewalls or defenses.
- The construction industry uses multiple digital systems, software and communications devices across numerous job sites and offices, and company leaders may not know about all the devices or have them integrated under one security umbrella. If a cybercriminal gains access to one of the systems, they may gain access to everything.
- Construction company executives often think their data is not valuable, but if all the data disappears, executives likely would be willing to pay a lot to get it back.
- Supervisors and other managers often take laptops home with them at night or on the road for trade shows and remote jobs. Security risks increase with motel or trade show Wi-Fi or even when kids play on the laptop.
- When companies use old computers, operating systems and virus protection, they will be identified quickly by cybercriminals who will take advantage of the vulnerabilities.
Did you know NRCA offers a Cyber Liability Insurance Program? Check it out!
