As buildings become smarter, the attack surface grows. Modern facilities connect HVAC, lighting, access control, surveillance, and safety systems to IP networks and cloud platforms—creating efficiency gains but also exposing operational technology (OT) to cyber threats that were once limited to IT. This post outlines the evolving risk landscape for connected buildings and offers practical best practices for protecting digital inspection records, user access, and operational data. It also explains how secure, cloud-based facilities platforms can reduce risk while enabling operational visibility.

Why connected buildings are a new cyber frontier

Building automation and facility systems historically ran on isolated controllers and proprietary networks. Today, those same systems increasingly use standard IP protocols, web APIs, and cloud services for analytics, remote control, and maintenance. That convergence means a vulnerability in an HVAC controller, an exposed building management system (BMS) port, or weak credentials for an inspection app can lead to loss of availability, safety incidents, or data exposure. National agencies and standards bodies identify these trends and urge owners to treat OT security with the same rigor as IT security.

Key threats to facility systems

• Unauthorized remote access: Exposed remote access services or weak authentication for BMS/HVAC can allow attackers to change setpoints or disable safety subsystems.
  
  
• Supply-chain and third-party risk: Integrations with vendors, cloud platforms, or contractors create additional access paths. Third-party compromise can cascade to building systems.
  
  
• Insecure cloud configurations: Misconfigured storage, APIs, or insufficient logging in cloud services can leak inspection data and operational records.
  
  
• Legacy/unsupported devices: Older controllers often lack modern security features and are frequently left unpatched.
  
  

Protecting digital inspection records and operational data

Digital inspection records and maintenance logs are sensitive: they contain operational baselines, timestamps, asset identifiers, and sometimes images or notes that reveal system configurations. Protect them using these practical controls:

1. Least privilege & RBAC: Ensure platform users have only the permissions required for their role; separate duties such as inspection submission, work-order approval, and system administration.
   
   
2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Require MFA for all users with remote or privileged access. MFA is one of the most effective defenses against credential theft.
   
   
3. Encryption: Encrypt inspection data in transit and at rest using industry-standard protocols (TLS for transit; modern encryption for storage). Verify your cloud provider’s encryption guarantees.
   
   
4. Immutable audit logs and backups: Maintain tamper-evident logs and regular backups of inspection and compliance records so you can detect manipulation and recover after an incident.
   
   
5. Vendor security reviews: Require third-party vendors (including SaaS inspection platforms) to demonstrate security posture — e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, documented patch processes, and secure development lifecycle.
   
   

Operational technology (OT) best practices for building systems

Securing building systems requires OT-aware controls that respect safety and uptime requirements:

• Network segmentation and zoning: Separate OT networks (BMS, HVAC, access control) from general IT and tenant networks. Use firewalls and allow only necessary, whitelisted flows between zones.
  
  
• Asset inventory and visibility: Maintain an up-to-date inventory of controllers, sensors, and endpoints. Knowing what’s on your network is the first step to protecting it.
  
  
• Patch management and change control: Where possible, apply security updates promptly and use staged testing to avoid disrupting building operations. For legacy devices that cannot be patched, apply compensating controls (network isolation, strict access controls).
  
  
• Continuous monitoring & threat detection: Integrate logs from OT systems, cloud platforms, and inspection apps into central monitoring or SIEM to detect anomalies early.
  
  
• Incident response tabletop exercises: Practice OT-specific incident scenarios (e.g., compromised BMS) with all stakeholders—facilities, IT, vendors—to ensure rapid, safe response.
  
  

The role of secure, cloud-based platforms

Cloud-based inspection and maintenance platforms—when designed with security in mind—can increase resilience and simplify compliance:

• Centralized logging and backups: SaaS platforms typically centralize logs, versioning, and backups, making audit trails easier to maintain and secure.
  
  
• Built-in identity management: Platforms that integrate with enterprise identity providers (SAML/SSO, SCIM) let organisations enforce consistent access policies and MFA across tools.
  
  
• Rapid security updates: Cloud vendors can push fixes and security enhancements across the fleet more quickly than on-prem maintenance cycles—reducing exposure windows.
  
  
• Compliance and certifications: Choose providers that publish compliance reports and attestations (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001) so you can rely on their controls for part of your own compliance posture.
  
  

Onsite HQ’s platform is designed precisely to digitize inspections, track issues, and close the loop on remediation with transparency and traceability—features that reduce the need for insecure, manual record-keeping and make secure access controls and audit trails more practical. When selecting or integrating a platform, verify the vendor’s security controls and how they align to your building’s OT security requirements.

Practical 10-point checklist for facility cybersecurity

1. Maintain an asset inventory of all building systems.
   
   
2. Segment OT from IT and tenant networks.
   
   
3. Enforce RBAC and MFA for all platform access.
   
   
4. Encrypt data in transit and at rest.
   
   
5. Centralize logging and retain immutable records.
   
   
6. Review vendor security posture and certifications.
   
   
7. Patch and apply compensating controls for legacy devices.
   
   
8. Monitor for anomalies and integrate with SIEM.
   
   
9. Run OT-focused incident response exercises.
   
   
10. Use a secure cloud platform for inspection and maintenance records with clear SLAs and documented controls.
    
    

Call to action

Connected buildings deliver measurable operational benefits—but they demand a security-first approach. By combining OT-aware controls (segmentation, asset inventory, patching) with secure cloud practices (RBAC, encryption, logging, vendor diligence), facility teams can reduce risk without losing the efficiencies smart building tech provides. If you’re ready to digitize inspections and improve traceability while keeping security front-of-mind, evaluate platforms that publish security attestations and integrate with your identity and monitoring stacks—Onsite HQ’s inspection and work-order capabilities are a practical starting point for reducing manual processes and improving auditability.

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