Cybersecurity For Engineering Firms (A Practical Guide)

As Engineering Firms Implement More Technology, The Need For Cybersecurity Grows

As the engineering industry continues to evolve, cybercrime becomes a more prevalent issue. Why? Because engineering firms are using more advanced technologies than ever before – meaning they have more points of entry into the network. Just think about some of the technologies being implemented into the modern engineering firm:

• Smart building devices
• Building information modeling (BIM)
• Project management software
• And much more

Although these technologies are integral to improving the efficiency of your day-to-day operations, they also present more opportunities for cybercriminals looking to steal sensitive information. The engineering company, as a whole, has started handling more data than ever before.

What Sensitive Data Do Engineering Firms Need To Protect?

You and your team members create, store, and access a ton of information that happens to be very lucrative for hackers, such as:

• Intellectual property
• Architecture drawings
• Corporate banking accounts
• Proprietary assets
• Employee information
• And much more

All of this information means you’re at risk for threats that may steal or hold your data hostage, and in turn, requiring a ransom fee to regain access. This is commonly referred to as ransomware.

What Cybersecurity Threats Are Targeting Engineering Firms?

There are many cybersecurity threats targeting engineering firms. Before you start creating a cybersecurity strategy, it’s important to be aware of the biggest risks:

• Phishing emails
• Lost employee laptops and mobile devices
• Unauthorized access to the network
• Insider theft from disgruntled employees
• And much more

How Do Hackers Manage To Steal Data From Engineering Firms?

Cisco, a leading technology manufacturer, explains it well…

“Some of the largest breaches to date began with the compromise and misuse of a single privileged user account. Gaining access to a privileged account can provide hackers with the virtual ‘keys to the kingdom’ and the ability to carry out widespread theft and inflict significant damage.”

Here are a few of the most common ways hackers manage to break into the network:

• Unsupported operating systems and/or hardware
• Hardware and/or software configuration issues
• Lack of patches and updates
• Untrained employees downloading malicious software or sending confidential information
• Lack of enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions, such as:
  • Firewalls
  • Anti-virus software
  • Spam filtering
  • DNS filtering
  • Intrusion detection software
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • And more

What Should Engineering Firms Include In A Cybersecurity Strategy?

Compunet Infotech specializes in helping engineering firms keep their sensitive data safe against all types of threats. We know that you depend on your technology for every aspect of the project lifecycle – from pre-construction to operations to management and everything in between. We help our engineering clients stay safe as we:

Perform a thorough network security assessment to discover any risks, then prioritize those risks to make sure there are no vulnerabilities or backdoors. This typically includes:

• Updating any unsupported equipment
• Monitoring the network around-the-clock for abnormalities
• Performing regular maintenance, such as patches and updates
• Fixing access and/or administrative privileges where necessary

Implement enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions in a multi-layered fashion to protect the network and all devices, such as:

• Firewalls
• Anti-virus software
• Multi-factor authentication
• DNS filtering
• And much more

Provide ongoing security awareness training for all of your end-users to ensure they know exactly how to handle threats, use your technology in a safe manner, and overall, strengthen your corporate cybersecurity level.

Ready To Get Started?

Since 1989, Compunet Infotech has been the leading IT services and support company for engineering firms throughout Greater Vancouver.

Click here to get in touch with us or call us at (604) 986-8170 to schedule a consultation.

Joe Martin

Performance-driven professional with 20+ year record of demonstrated success driving significant growth in sales and revenue for products and services. Identify market needs and implement innovative strategies to capture new business. Engaging and articulate presenter with a talent for delivering winning product and sales presentations to a diverse client base.