When you think about office building security, you might picture cameras, keycard access, and perhaps a security guard at the front desk. But physical security is just one aspect of keeping your building safe. The other crucial component? Cybersecurity.
Modern office buildings increasingly rely on technology—smart locks, Wi-Fi networks, tenant portals, HVAC systems, and even security cameras are often connected to the internet. This interconnectedness means that a weak cybersecurity setup can leave your entire building vulnerable to hackers, data breaches, and even physical threats.
The good news? You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to strengthen your building's defenses. Below, you’ll find ten practical tips—each one linked so you can jump right to what matters most—to help you protect your property, your tenants, and your reputation.
One of the simplest ways to bolster your building’s cyber defenses is to regularly update and patch all your systems. Many office buildings run on technology that hasn’t been updated in years – think of an HVAC control computer still using an old operating system or an elevator management server running outdated software. These outdated systems are prime targets for hackers because known vulnerabilities haven’t been fixed. In fact, about 60% of data breaches are caused by the failure to apply available software patches.
What can you do? Start by taking inventory of all digital components in your building – building management systems, surveillance systems, fire and life safety controls, etc. Ensure each has the latest firmware or software version. Set up a schedule (monthly or quarterly) to check for and apply updates from vendors. If a system is so old that it no longer receives patches, plan for an upgrade or add extra protective measures around it. It’s wise to enable automatic updates where possible, especially for standard IT equipment like servers and workstations that manage building operations.
Also, coordinate with your IT team or service providers to patch network devices (routers, switches) and apply security updates to any cloud platforms you use. By keeping your building systems patched, you close those easy entry points and force attackers to work a lot harder to break in.
Modern office buildings are full of “smart” devices – cameras, thermostats, badge readers, lighting sensors, even coffee machines connected to Wi-Fi. These Internet of Things (IoT) devices make your building efficient and comfortable, but each one is a tiny computer that can be hacked if not secured. More than 50% of IoT devices have critical vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
Even more alarming, Verizon’s data shows that one in three data breaches now involves an IoT device. In other words, an unsecured sensor or camera in your building could become the doorway for an attacker to get into your network. Tenants might not realize that something as small as a smart thermostat could pose a risk to their data, but as a building manager, you need to be aware and proactive.
To secure your building’s IoT devices, start by changing default passwords on all devices – factory-set passwords are widely known by hackers. Configure each device with a strong, unique password or passphrase. Next, keep IoT firmware updated just as you do for computers. Manufacturers often release firmware patches for security issues, so check for updates periodically on devices like access control panels or smart HVAC controllers.
It’s also wise to segregate IoT devices on a separate network or VLAN. By isolating them, even if one device is compromised, the intruder can’t easily jump to your tenant database or corporate network. Additionally, turn off any unnecessary features on IoT devices – for example, if a printer or thermostat has an open port or service you don’t use, disable it to reduce risk.
You should also monitor IoT devices for unusual behavior. Many IoT hacks, like the Mirai botnet attack, involve hordes of compromised devices being used in attacks. If a normally quiet sensor suddenly starts sending out large amounts of data, it could be a sign of compromise.
Controlling who can access your building’s systems – both digitally and physically – is fundamental to security. Many cyber incidents boil down to someone gaining access who shouldn’t have. In fact, nearly 38% of breaches involve the use of stolen or compromised credentials, making weak access control a bigger risk than even phishing or technical exploits. For an office building, this means you need to manage accounts, passwords, and permissions very carefully. If a hacker obtains the login to your elevator control system or a property management portal because an account had a simple password, they can wreak havoc. Likewise, if former employees, contractors, or vendors still have active credentials, that’s a lurking vulnerability. Strong access control ensures that only the right people – and devices – can get into your systems.
Start by implementing strong authentication practices on all building software and networks. Require multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible, especially for remote access to building management systems or administrative accounts. MFA (such as a code sent to a phone or a fingerprint scan in addition to a password) adds an extra layer that makes it much harder for an attacker to use stolen passwords.
Next, enforce strong password policies: passwords should be long and unique. Encourage passphrases or use a managed password vault for staff who access critical systems, so they don’t resort to easy-to-guess passwords. It’s also important to limit user privileges – follow the principle of least privilege by giving each user account only the access it truly needs. For example, your maintenance staff’s login might allow them to schedule HVAC settings but not download the entire tenant database. Fewer high-level accounts mean fewer high-value targets for attackers.
On the physical side, integrate your access control too. Ensure that only authorized personnel can enter sensitive areas like server rooms, security control rooms, or electrical closets. Use electronic keycard systems or biometrics for these doors, and review access logs regularly. If someone who isn’t authorized tries to tailgate into a server room, your security team should catch that. Tie this into your digital strategy: when an employee leaves the company or a vendor’s contract ends, promptly revoke their access badges and deactivate their IT accounts.
Many breaches occur because old accounts were never shut off. You might even consider implementing an identity management system that syncs physical and digital access, so when you deactivate one, the other follows automatically.
Think of your building’s network like a ship: if every compartment is connected and one area floods, the whole ship goes down. Network segmentation is about creating bulkheads in your IT infrastructure, so a compromise in one system doesn’t immediately grant access to everything else. Many office buildings historically had flat, unsegmented networks – the HVAC system, security cameras, tenant Wi-Fi, and corporate offices might all share the same network space. This is risky because a malware infection on a tenant’s computer could hop over to the elevators or CCTV system if there are no internal barriers.
According to research, approximately 70% of cybersecurity incidents affecting operational technology (OT) – like building control systems – originated from the IT network side. In other words, attackers often gain entry through the regular business network (maybe via an email malware or an infected laptop) and then move laterally into critical building systems due to a lack of segmentation.
To prevent this, separate your building systems network from your corporate and tenant networks. Work with your IT team to create VLANs or dedicated subnets: for example, put all building management controllers (HVAC, lighting, access control panels, etc.) on their own isolated network segment. That segment should be protected by a firewall that strictly limits traffic to and from it. Only the protocols and devices that absolutely need to communicate across the boundary should be allowed. For instance, the network video recorders for security cameras might be on a management VLAN that only security staff computers can reach.
If you provide tenant Wi-Fi, ensure it is completely isolated from any building operational networks (so a guest poking around on Wi-Fi can’t see your boiler control system). Similarly, separate the office staff network that handles email and web browsing from the network that controls physical building operations.
You should also implement robust firewall rules and intrusion detection between these segments. The firewall can block unauthorized attempts, and an intrusion detection system can alert you if, say, someone on the guest network is oddly trying to ping your elevator control IPs. Another best practice is to use VPNs for remote access to building systems – never expose building control interfaces directly to the internet. If vendors need to access the BMS (Building Management System) remotely, require them to go through a secure VPN into that segmented network, with MFA enabled. This way, even if an attacker compromises a vendor’s credentials, they still face multiple hurdles and contain damage.
Segmentation also means considering cloud vs. local separation: if you use cloud-based building management dashboards, ensure the on-site network trusts only specific cloud endpoints and nothing else. By containing different functions in different network zones, you dramatically shrink an intruder’s freedom of movement. An incident in one area (like a malware-infected tenant device) can be quarantined and dealt with without letting the attacker pivot into your critical building infrastructure.
Beyond building equipment, you are also the custodian of a lot of sensitive data – tenant lease files, personal contact information, security footage archives, access logs, maybe even financial or billing info. A cyber incident that exposes tenant data can be devastating to your reputation and potentially lead to legal liability. It’s crucial to shield that data from prying eyes.
The stakes are high: the average cost of a data breach reached $4.45 million in 2023, and that doesn’t even factor in the loss of tenant trust, which could cost you leases. We’ve seen real-world examples in real estate – for instance, an unsecured database at a real estate company was found exposing 1.5 billion records of property owners, sellers, and investors.
Names, addresses, phone numbers, and even internal notes were left openly accessible because the database wasn’t password-protected. To avoid becoming the next headline, take tenant data protection as seriously as you do physical security.
First, identify what sensitive data you hold and where it resides. Is it in a property management software, on a local server, in cloud storage, or on paper files? Once you map that out, implement encryption for both data in transit and at rest. Use HTTPS/SSL for any web portals or online services so that data (like tenant portal logins or forms) is encrypted as it moves over the network. For data “at rest” (stored on disk or in the cloud), enable encryption through your software or operating system – many modern database systems and cloud storage services let you encrypt contents, ensuring that even if someone gets the raw files, they can’t read them without the key.
Also, enforce strong access controls on these databases and file systems: only staff who absolutely need access to tenant personal info should have it. For example, your leasing manager may need to see tenant contact details, but your maintenance technician probably doesn’t. Use role-based permissions to enforce that separation.
Next, maintain regular backups of critical data, but do so securely. Backups should be encrypted and stored safely (preferably off-site or in secure cloud storage). This not only helps in recovery after an incident but also protects you if ransomware ever strikes – you wouldn’t have to pay hackers if you can restore your data from backups. Make sure to test those backups periodically, too, to ensure they actually work.
It’s equally important to guard against data leaks from the inside: establish clear policies for handling tenant information. For example, discourage storing tenant data on personal devices or sending spreadsheets with tenant info over email without proper safeguards. If you must share data with third parties (like an insurance or compliance auditor), use secure file-sharing methods and agreements to ensure they handle it carefully.
Don’t forget physical data protection. Store hard copy documents (leases, IDs, etc.) in locked cabinets or secure archives, and shred them securely when disposing. For digital systems, enable activity logging: you should be able to trace who accessed sensitive records and when. In case something does go wrong, logs can help identify the scope of a breach. Finally, communicate your data protection measures to tenants.
Many companies appreciate knowing that their building manager encrypts data and has strict privacy protocols – it gives them peace of mind about compliance as well. By treating tenant data with the same care you treat your own financial data, you reduce the risk of a breach and show your tenants that you value their privacy and security.
Even with high-tech defenses in place, human error can quickly undermine security. 95% of cybersecurity breaches are due to human error, according to IBM. This means mistakes like clicking on a malicious email link, using a weak password, or accidentally misconfiguring a system are a leading cause of incidents. For property management, your staff might not be IT experts – front desk personnel, maintenance crews, and property managers are busy running the building. But they all use technology (email, smartphones, building control apps) and thus can be targets of cyberattacks.
A hacker might send a phishing email to your property administrator pretending to be a vendor invoice, hoping to trick them into opening malware. Or someone might call claiming to be from “technical support” to fish for login details. Without awareness, your team could inadvertently open the door to an attack. That’s why cybersecurity training is not optional; it’s a must for everyone.
Start by incorporating regular cybersecurity awareness training for all employees and contractors who access your systems. Keep the training practical and at an accessible level – you don’t need to turn everyone into an IT pro, but they should know basic dos and don’ts. Key topics to cover include: how to recognize phishing emails (like noticing spoofed sender addresses or urgent money requests), proper handling of passwords (never sharing them or writing them on sticky notes, and recognizing that no legitimate IT staff will ask for their password over the phone), and safe internet browsing habits. Teach them what to do if they suspect an email or message is suspicious (e.g., do not click the link, report it to a supervisor or IT). You might use phishing simulations – sending fake phishing emails to employees to see if they click – as a teaching tool, followed by guidance on red flags they missed.
It’s also important to train staff on incident reporting and response. Make sure every team member knows how to report a potential security incident immediately, without fear of punishment. If the front desk receptionist thinks they accidentally clicked a bad link, they should feel comfortable reporting it right away so you can take action, rather than staying quiet. Encourage a culture of security where everyone is vigilant: for example, a maintenance worker who finds a USB drive in the parking lot should know not to plug it into a computer (it could be loaded with malware), but instead to hand it to IT or management.
Extend awareness to your tenants as well, at least in a basic form. While you can’t train tenants like your staff, you can share periodic security tips via building newsletters or emails, such as cautioning against tailgating (following someone through a secure door) or reminding them not to let unknown personnel into restricted areas.
If you provide a tenant portal or app, give them guidance on creating strong credentials and protecting their account. By educating both your team and your building’s occupants, you turn people from potential security liabilities into an additional layer of defense. An alert staff member who spots a scam or a tenant who reports a lost access card promptly can together prevent small issues from becoming big breaches.
Third-party vendors are an integral part of building operations, from HVAC maintenance companies and elevator technicians to cleaning services and security system integrators. However, each third-party relationship introduces another avenue for risk. A vendor might have remote access to your building systems for maintenance or could handle sensitive data like access codes. If that vendor’s security practices are weak, it could directly impact you. It’s sobering to note that 61% of companies experienced a data breach through a third-party vendor in the last year.
Vet your vendors before and during the relationship. When evaluating new contractors or technology providers, ask about their cybersecurity policies. Do they have certifications or compliance with standards (for example, ISO 27001 or SOC 2 for IT service providers)? Do they conduct employee background checks and security training? Don’t be shy about making cybersecurity a factor in your vendor selection – reputable vendors will expect it.
Include specific security requirements in your contracts. For example, require that the vendor use MFA for any remote access they perform, that they notify you immediately in the event they suffer a breach, and perhaps that they carry cyber liability insurance. Define who is allowed to access your systems: e.g., maybe only certain technician accounts that you approve.
Once a vendor is hired, limit their access to the minimum necessary. If a cleaning company needs a badge to enter after hours, that badge should only open the areas they need (and not, say, the server closet). If your elevator maintenance provider has a remote diagnostics account, ensure it only has access to the elevator control system and nothing else. Use unique accounts for each vendor (never share accounts) so you can disable one without affecting others. It’s a good practice to review vendor access logs occasionally – check when and from where vendors are connecting to your systems. Unexpected access at odd hours could be a red flag.
To manage the sprawl of third-party risk, maintain an updated list of all vendors and what they have access to. This helps you perform periodic reviews. At least annually (if not more often), reassess each vendor: have there been any security incidents on their end? Are their privileges still appropriate for the work they’re doing? For critical vendors, you might even require annual proof of their security measures (some companies send out security questionnaires or audits to key suppliers).
Additionally, plan for offboarding: when a contract ends or if a vendor staff member who had access to your building leaves their company, promptly revoke their credentials. A good relationship with your vendor includes open communication – encourage them to inform you of any changes or incidents that could affect you. By actively managing vendor relationships with security in mind, you can reap the benefits of their services without unmitigated risk. Remember that your building’s security is only as strong as its weakest link, and you don’t want that weak link to be an outside partner.
Even with preventive measures in place, incidents can still happen. What separates a minor security event from a major disaster is often how quickly you detect and respond to it. Unfortunately, many organizations discover breaches far too late – it takes companies an average of 204 days to identify a breach and another 73 days to contain it. That’s more than nine months of dwell time, during which attackers can be snooping around your network. Part of the reason is that many businesses, including real estate firms, lack proper monitoring – in fact, only about one-third of companies discover a breach through their own security teams; the majority are alerted by external parties or customers.
You don’t want a tenant or law enforcement telling you that your building systems have been compromised long after the fact. This is why setting up continuous monitoring and having a solid incident response plan are critical. It’s like having a smoke detector and fire drill plan for cyber fires – you get alerted early, and you know how to react.
Begin with continuous monitoring of your networks and systems. If you have an IT team or provider, ensure they deploy tools that watch for unusual activity 24/7. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) can flag suspicious network traffic, like a building control system suddenly trying to send data to an unfamiliar external server. You can also use Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) software to aggregate logs from various sources (door access logs, Windows server logs, firewall logs, etc.) and alert on anomalies.
For example, if an admin account logs in at 3 AM or a thermostat on the lobby network starts scanning ports, the system should send an alert. Many property managers opt to hire a managed security service for this, which is fine – the key is that someone is watching the alerts. Make sure alerts aren’t ignored; have procedures so that if something critical pops up, it’s investigated promptly. Even simpler: set up email or SMS notifications for certain events, like multiple failed login attempts on the building management console, so you or your IT folks know in real-time if someone might be trying to brute-force a password.
Equally important is having an Incident Response (IR) plan in place. This is your playbook for what to do if a cybersecurity incident occurs. Draft a clear plan that outlines roles and responsibilities: who on your team coordinates the response, who contacts IT or external specialists, who communicates with tenants or authorities if needed, etc.
The plan should include steps for different scenarios (data breach, ransomware, equipment hack). For example, if your access control system is hacked, your plan might dictate to immediately take it offline, use a manual backup procedure for building entry, investigate the scope, and so on. Keep an up-to-date contact list as part of the IR plan – including after-hours phone numbers for key team members, IT support, legal counsel, and even law enforcement liaisons if appropriate. Practice the plan via tabletop exercises or drills. This might sound elaborate, but even a half-day walk-through with your team on “what would we do if X happened” can reveal gaps and build confidence.
Also, ensure that data backups are integrated into the response strategy – e.g., if a server gets compromised, you know which backup to restore and how long that takes. Consider subscribing to threat intelligence feeds relevant to your industry, or alerts from entities like CISA, so you get early warnings of threats that could impact buildings (for instance, if there’s a known exploit in a common access control product, you’d want to know immediately).
Finally, discuss communications: if an incident impacts tenants (like a breach of their data or a systems outage), plan how you will inform them and reassure them, as well as how you’ll report to any authorities or compliance bodies if required by law. With continuous monitoring, you dramatically cut down the time attackers can lurk unnoticed, and with a rehearsed incident response plan, you ensure that if something does slip through, you are in control of the situation and can act decisively to mitigate damage.
In an office building, physical security and cybersecurity are two sides of the same coin. You might have top-notch firewalls, but if someone can walk into a network closet and plug in a rogue device, your digital defenses can be bypassed. Conversely, a cyber attack on a building system can create physical consequences – imagine the chaos of hackers unlocking doors or shutting down heating in winter. It’s critical to take a holistic approach: your physical security strategy (locks, badges, guards, cameras) should work in tandem with your IT security strategy. Attackers often use a blend of methods. There’s a famous anecdote where hackers breached a casino’s high-roller database through an internet-connected fish tank thermometer in the lobby. The device was part of the physical environment, but it provided a cyber entry point. This story illustrates that anything in your building that’s smart or connected can be leveraged in an attack. Similarly, an intruder could pose as a delivery person to slip into a restricted area and insert a malware-laden USB stick into a server. As a property manager, you must address these cross-domain threats.
Start by reviewing physical access controls for areas housing critical IT infrastructure. Server rooms, main telecom rooms, security control centers, and utility areas should be locked and accessible only to authorized staff. Use electronic access control (key cards or biometric scanners) so that entries and exits are logged. That way, if an incident occurs on a system, you can correlate it with who was in the room at the time. Ensure that visitors or vendors are escorted in sensitive areas.
Next, consider security technology convergence. Many modern security systems (CCTV cameras, badge readers, alarm panels) are IP-based and tie into your network. Treat these like the IoT devices we discussed: secure them with proper passwords, updates, and network segmentation. Also, make sure your security team has strong cybersecurity training – for instance, the guards monitoring cameras should know not to ignore a system alert or not to click on suspicious email links on the security workstation. Likewise, your IT team should be looped in on physical security plans. If, say, you plan to install smart locks that employees can open with a mobile app, involve IT to evaluate the app’s security and how it connects to your network.
Leverage physical security to support cyber defense. For example, security cameras can deter and detect someone sneaking in to access your hardware. If your cameras are smart, set alerts for unusual activities (like someone at a door they shouldn’t be at, or movement in a server room at odd hours) and have your security personnel investigate promptly.
And from a policy perspective, enforce things like clean desk policies (so no passwords are written on notes) and locking computer screens when users step away – these bridge the physical and cyber realms. Consider drills that combine both domains: perhaps simulate a scenario where a “visitor” tries social engineering at the front desk to gain network access, and test how your staff handles it.
Ultimately, break down silos between the teams managing physical security and IT security. Schedule joint meetings or audits. When evaluating risks, think in terms of scenarios that involve both physical and cyber elements (like the fish tank hack or an intruder planting a device). By integrating these efforts, you close gaps – you won’t overlook the network port in the lobby or the Wi-Fi security of a smart lighting panel.
This approach ensures that whether an attack vector is physical (like a forced door entry) or digital (like malware), or a combination, you have layers of controls to intercept it. Your building will be much harder to compromise when every aspect of security is working together seamlessly.
Keeping a commercial office building secure in today’s environment might seem challenging, but by following these ten tips, you are taking confident steps to protect both the physical and digital assets of your property. From updating aging systems and locking down IoT gadgets to training your team and planning for the unexpected, you’ve seen that security is a continuous, multi-faceted effort. The key is to be proactive and consistent – cyber threats evolve, but so can your defenses.
By addressing common pain points like outdated infrastructure, vendor risks, and data privacy head-on, you reduce the likelihood of incidents and put yourself in a strong position to handle any that arise. Remember, a secure building is not just safer – it’s also more attractive to tenants and compliant with regulations, which is good for business.
As you bolster your building’s security, consider how the right technology platform can make this job easier. Cove is one such solution that streamlines building operations and enhances security at the same time. With Cove’s platform, you can integrate work orders, visitor management, access control, and communications in one place, eliminating the gaps between systems. This not only improves efficiency (no more juggling separate apps for everything) but also gives you better oversight of your building’s security landscape. For example, Cove can unify your access control logs with visitor registrations, helping you spot anomalies quickly, and it ensures your systems stay updated through a centralized dashboard.
Cove is designed with modern property management challenges in mind, including cybersecurity. If you’re ready to elevate your building’s operational efficiency and security, we encourage you to book a demo with Cove. See first-hand how a unified platform can help you implement the tips we’ve discussed – from simplifying updates to maintaining a secure tenant experience. By taking action now and leveraging the right tools, you can confidently provide a safe, smart, and secure environment for everyone in your building.