https://buildingcybersecurity.org Building Cyber Security : Overview | LinkedIn

Advancing Security and Safety

In a Smarter World

Our Mission - Establish products and services developed by private sector stakeholders to enhance 

human safety and protect asset value by offering market-driven options and front-end insurance 

incentives to promote cyber protections in smart technologies across multiple sectors.

Our Vision – As global non-profit entity, Building Cyber Security (BCS) will collaborate with the 

insurance industry to incentivize investments in operational technologies, processes, training, and 

recovery plans to reduce cyber risk to business brand, operations, and personnel.

The Problem – Integrated Operational Technologies (OT) in smart buildings, machines, and 

industries for a more efficient and convenient world offer new vectors of risk to asset value and 

performance are not being complemented by a commensurate cyber safety/security framework to 

mitigate risk to lives, property, or resources. The general public does not have programs or consumer 

choice in the market to counter the risks presented by the exploitation of smart technologies to threaten 

homes, cars, work areas, or essential services. 

The Threat - Bad cyber-enabled actors (criminals, terrorists, disgruntled employees, etc) are 

increasingly attracted to buildings and infrastructure for ransom payouts and other destructive activities

due to the combination of high asset value, compelling threats to human safety, and relatively low 

cybersecurity protections. Governments do not have the flexibility to quicky respond to this threat to the 

built environment. As a result, asset owners, operators, occupiers investors, and insurers have increased 

portfolio liability and risk leading to volatility in insurer offers for cyber, property, and casualty policies.

The Costs - According to the World Economic Forum, cyber-attacks are cited as No. 2 in the top 10 

global business risks. Gartner predicts that the financial impact of CPS attacks resulting in fatal casualties 

will reach over $50 billion by 2023. Cybersecurity Ventures expects global cybercrime costs to grow by 15 

percent per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. This represents the 

greatest transfer of economic wealth in history. 

The Liability - Gartner predicts 75% of CEO’s will be personally liable for cyber-physical security 

incidents by 2024. Cybersecurity claims have skyrocketed in 2021, particularly from ransomware attacks 

targeting high value assets with low cyber security postures. "Failing to properly maintain reasonable cyber 

security measures, procedures, and practices appropriate to the nature and scope of business operations" 

has become the primary claim in a growing number of class action lawsuits.

A Global Solution – BCS understands that smart technologies must incorporate cyber security and 

safety engineering to minimize the potential of an unsafe condition. BCS is translating existing global OT 

cybersecurity standards into a dynamic, actionable framework and certification program that will reward 

investors who adopt robust and persistent cyber protections. A tiered (platinum, gold, silver, bronze) 

certification process rewarding the selection of technologies, their design and integration, and life cycle 

management will allow stakeholders to determine the level of safety commensurate with their business 

risk. Executives will be able to receive consistent feedback on the status and effectiveness of cyber 

protections throughout the enterprise. Investments in certifications will be returned through reduced 

insurance rates, less business disruption, and increased employee/customer/client/ consumer confidence. 
https://buildingcybersecurity.org Building Cyber Security : Overview | LinkedIn

Advancing Security and Safety

In a Smarter World

Progress - Since 2020, BCS has added 300 companies globally representing super-techs, cyber/technical 

services, insurers, control system manufacturers, system integrators, trade associations, and companies in 

six industry vertical councils (real estate/facilities, healthcare, automation/robotics, transportation, 

consumer devices, and infrastructure) to guide implementation and marketing of the BCS framework, 

certification, and training programs to meet specific industry cyber protection needs.

• Members and affiliates include Facility Owners & Operators, Critical Infrastructure operators, Control 

Systems Manufacturers, Original Equipment Manufacturers, Equipment Installers, Standards 

Organizations, Audit Agencies, Technology System Integrators, Smart Device Manufacturers,

Engineering Companies, Insurance Companies, Cyber Services Companies, Microelectonic developers. 

BCS is in the process of an internal stakeholder and insurer review of the first framework and certification

for real estate and facilities to be released publicly in October, 2021.

• The proprietary BCS Framework enables a certification process for designs, specifications, and control 

system installation procedures to incentivize the replacement of legacy controls, require product 

registration, and reward consistent security oversight.

• Subsequent frameworks will be tailored to specific industry verticals in BCS and updated to respond to 

evolving OT threats. Intellectual property protections are being secured for each framework.

BCS has partnered with national associations, and is in discussion with Federal Agencies, to incorporate the 

framework into public infrastructure projects and federal building design solicitations.

A wide range of institutional and private owners, large occupiers and property management companies 

represented by over 100 Commercial Real Estate entities, along with real estate associations, is leading

adoption of the framework. BCS will start testing the framework for buildings in November, 2021

BCS has partnered with the International Society of Automation (ISA), Center for Internet Security (CIS), 

and the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association (NEMA) for framework development and 

certification processes. BCS has alliance agreement in place with REALCOMM, and the Telecom Industry 

Association in collaboration with Underwriter’s Labs. BCS is also negotiating a collaboration agreement 

with BOMA and will be presenting to the Urban Land Institute in October, 2021

The world’s largest insurance broker, AON, A founding member, is facilitating the review by real estate 

underwriters to assess the value and impact to cyber, property, and casualty policies resulting from 

framework certifications.

BCS is sustained through memberships dues and donations. A national marketing and promotional plan is 

underway to build membership. Higher tier contributors are leading BCS Boards and councils. BCS will be 

sustained through licensing fees for certifications and training programs.

As headlines confirm, the cyber threat is growing more sophisticated every day. The private sector 

ecosystem in BCS is taking bold action now to incentivize proactive cybersecurity protections for physical 

safety in an increasingly smart world – building cyber security.