Cybersecurity expert: All construction data is an asset and should be protected

A recent ransomware attack on Canadian contractor Bird Construction has once again highlighted the need for cybersecurity measures in the industry. Canadian media reports late last month said that the Ontario-based government contracting company was the victim of an incident that resulted in the encryption of company files. The incident caused no major impacts and the affected files were quickly restored, a company spokesperson said. Nevertheless, the issue raised red flags about national security interests because the contractor is a provider of construction services for major federal and provincial projects including defense facilities and police stations. In the U.S., the Department of Defense launched a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program in January to help ensure contractors on government projects have the necessary cybersecurity practices in place to protect the controlled unclassified information to which they are privy.