Construction Cybersecurity: Building a Strong Foundation - GainSide

A strong foundation that can withstand everyday use and weather various environmental factors is not only essential in the construction of a new structure, it’s essential in the construction of a sound business model as well. As a construction business owner or operator, you’ve spent considerable time, money, and energy into building your reputation and amassing an impressive roster of loyal clientele … yet one weakness in your cybersecurity walls could take it all down in mere seconds. That’s a reality that many businesses face, regardless of industry, location, or business size. 

In fact, a 2023 report indicated that construction saw some of the highest numbers of cyberattacks, with an average of 226 incidents annually. And, according to Threat Intelligence data, the number of attacks targeting construction businesses increased 75% from 2022 to 2023. The risk is evident, and it’s growing. But that doesn’t mean you’re destined to be a victim. On the contrary, by understanding the threats and partnering with a firm, like GainSide, with proven expertise and results in cybersecurity protection, you’ll find solid footing against these attacks.

Why is construction an attractive target for cybercrime? 

Construction businesses are a prime target for cybercriminals for several reasons: 

• Reliance on legacy systems that may no longer be updated or supported.
• Database of sensitive client information, including payment details.
• Third-party risk from a complex network of suppliers, subcontractors, and others. 
• Lack of dedicated cybersecurity systems and protocols. 

Relationships – whether from clients, suppliers, partners, subcontractors, transient workers, or others – are the cornerstone of any successful construction business. But the more people and systems you introduce, the more opportunities cybercriminals will have to seek out and take advantage of weaknesses. 

Relying solely on antivirus software is simply not enough. Today’s cybercriminals are increasingly sophisticated in their attacks and incredibly persistent. To truly build up your defenses against potential cyberthreats, you must start at your foundation. 

Essential components to build a strong cybersecurity foundation

Just like the foundation of a house or building, the foundation of your cybersecurity strategy is formed using a variety of strategies, tools, and solutions. Below are a few of the essential components you should incorporate into your business to build a solid foundation impermeable to bad actors: 

• Adopt robust security protocols, including firewalls, multi-factor authentication, password management, data encryption, and others. 
• Deliver cybersecurity awareness and response training to employees to help your employees become a strong first line of defense. 
• Monitor user and network activity to identify any unusual or suspicious activity and detect potential breaches. 
• Establish an incident response plan that identifies roles and responsibilities, notification and escalation plans, procedure steps, etc. 
• Maintain frequent backups of data, ensuring a secure copy of your data is readily available in the event of a data breach and minimizing any production downtime.
• Conduct vulnerability and penetration testing to identify weaknesses that the team can proactively address.
• Enhance supplier management with an emphasis on cybersecurity protocols, letting your supply chain know that cybersecurity is a top priority with legally binding language in your contract details.
• Ensure proper patch management to strengthen software and systems and eliminate weak points.
• Outsource cybersecurity to specialized teams – like GainSide – to help balance the workload on internal teams and ensure a high level of cybersecurity expertise and protection. 

Don’t leave your cybersecurity to chance. The more subcontractors, contract workers, or other transient sources of labor in your organization, the more vulnerability you introduce into your operations. 

Partnering with GainSide for a stronger cybersecurity foundation 

There is often a delta between knowing you need strong cybersecurity defenses and having the resources to truly lock things down and keep your business secure on a regular basis. That’s where it helps to have expertise in your corner from the team at GainSide. 

Unlike a typical managed service provider (MSP), GainSide provides full transparency into the specific tools used to protect our customers. For example, our core protection suite includes: 

• Secure internet 
• Email protection 
• Antivirus with detection and response
• Training and testing
• Monitoring and remote access 

Within these areas, we select the best solutions, strategies, and partners to meet our customers’ unique needs. With GainSide, an entire team is backing you up and ensuring your construction company is structurally sound, secure, and impermeable to cyber criminals. With GainSide, you gain peace of mind backed by years of experience and unparalleled commitment to your success.

Security is essential, especially in today’s environment. At GainSide, our clients don’t just gain enhanced security and a suite of proven solutions, they gain a true strategic partner to support their ongoing security needs.  

Your business matters; don’t leave the back door open to cybercriminals. GainSide can help.