The Internet of Things (IoT) is enabling the Digital Transformation of buildings and changing the way people utilise their workplaces, public spaces, hotels, restaurants and homes. For business, being able to maximise the benefits that Digital Buildings IoT technologies such as Connected Devices, Mobile apps, Restful APIs, Cloud-hosted Data Lakes and Digital Twins offer is increasingly important in the post-Covid world as IoT solutions enable the more flexible and efficient use of buildings to deliver services for workers and customers alike. 

With the expanding scope of IoT, connected devices are becoming increasingly pervasive and are a key part of the modern digital workplace, delivering benefits to customers, staff and the operation of buildings. However, many IoT systems and connected devices are often installed and operated outside corporate IT standards/policies by specialist contractors, they tend not to be subject to frequent updates and often feature remote access thereby providing a back door into the enterprise. This in turn leads to an increased risk of Information Security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by those with nefarious intent, an issue exacerbated by a historical trend of corporate IT functions not investing time and resources in understanding and managing the IoT systems on which the business’ buildings operations rely. There have been well-publicised examples of IoT systems being compromised by hackers, with some world-leading global brands having been adversely affected by very public security breaches resulting in flagship premises being closed and key systems taken offline. 

As the IoT industry expands the scope of these systems into the cloud and connected IoT devices become more prevalent, risks and issues present themselves that - as it is not core to their business  - many organisations are behind the curve on when it comes to IoT, in particular: 

• Understanding the IoT systems and devices installed in their buildings, their scope, operational performance, fitness-for-purpose and value 
• The Information Security Risks IoT systems and devices pose to their enterprise, brand and operations 
• How to maximise the benefit of the IoT systems they have as they undergo the digital transformation of their buildings and workplaces  
• Ensuring valuable enterprise data from IoT systems is not being hosted elsewhere in the cloud without sufficient governance and controls in place 

For those businesses that find themselves in this position, or who are keen to explore how the IoT and Digital Buildings revolution can deliver best value, our advice is to carry out an IoT Health Check and Risk Assessment such as that provided by our expert engineers and consultants. This will enable your business to: 

• Identify and mitigate IoT related Information Security Risks 
• Understand the fitness-for-purpose and operational performance of your existing IoT systems 
• Determine the suitability and maximise the value of your IoT systems to your business and clients as you undergo digital transformation and tap into the value of Digital Buildings 

If you’d like to speak to one of our consultants to find out more about how our IoT Health Check and Risk Assessment can help your business, please get in touch.

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