Businesses need to safeguard their assets, from building operations to data integrity to corporate security. It is critical to success in today’s business world. That’s why it is essential to rely on the partnership of FICO and Schneider Electric to ensure that you have the best business security and continuity of operations at all levels.
EcoStructureTM Security Expert is an online platform developed by the experts at Schneider Electric. The platform enables facility managers to monitor their building operations, view security settings, and check intrusion alerts and access control, all from a single control panel. Facility managers can accomplish this from multiple devices, including desktop or laptop computers, tablets, and even cell phones. This multiple-device capability is vital because facility managers are often responsible for managing multiple buildings and operations.
“Security breaches and the continuity of HVAC and other building operations are a major concern,” explained Matt Young, sales director at FICO. “The ability to link building systems—building management, security, and access control—into a single platform for better management enhances a company’s ability to operate efficiently, attract the best employees and tenants, and build effective partnerships. This not only applies to buildings, but also college and university campuses, hospitals, and other entities. FICO and Schneider Electric help you protect your systems, whether those systems are information technology or operational technology.
The Numbers Reveal the Vulnerability
Every device in a network represents a vulnerability, a place where bad actors can gain access to your system and steal information or cause damage. Consider the growth of connected devices in buildings:
- 2014 1.7 billion devices
- 2020 5.5 billion devices
- 2024 16.6 billion devices
Projections are that this growth will continue at a rate of about 13% annually. In case you find yourself skeptical of these numbers, consider your own home. How many connected devices do you have: cell phones, laptops, desktops, smart watches, appliances, televisions, smart switches? The average home has more than twenty devices. Now look at your building or campus. Every switch, every actuator, every relay, every connected device is an opportunity for a hacker. That’s why you should consider EcoStructureTM Security Expert.
Security Measures Make Your Company Attractive as a Business Partner
There is also the issue of compliance. Increasingly, companies are only doing business with partners that maintain security against data breaches and intrusions into their operations. EcoStructureTM Security Expert ensures that your building or business has met those requirements.
If you do business with Federal or State agencies, you can be sure that they will expect the most stringent security safeguards.
The average cost of a data breach increased 10% in 2024. But the costs are not limited to cleaning up the ensuing mess. There is also the issue of customer loyalty and damage to reputation. A security breach can cost you clients and business, and the memory often lingers for years.
Lifecycle Methodology: The EcoStructureTM Security Expert Approach
FICO technicians customize EcoStructureTM Security Expert for your business, building, or operation. They accomplish this through a series of cybersecurity cornerstones called Lifestyle Methodology:
Asset Recovery–What elements of your BMS, data collections, security, and access control are critical to your process?
Electronic Access Controls–Where do firewalls need to be installed to ensure optimum network segmentation?
User Access Controls–Identifying system users and the level of access they need to do their job, also known as role-based access control.
Patching–How are patches and updates accomplished for the operating system and software?
Antivirus and whitelisting–Installing shields and protections against cyber viruses, and also creating a list of approved entities for access to your systems.
Disaster Recovery–Automatic backup and recovery planning so that nothing gets missed, and in the event of data loss, quick restoration of systems.
Logging–Capturing system events so that operators can recreate problems and intrusions, even attempted intrusions, on your network.
Lifestyle Methodology considers the operations and culture of your company, ensuring that EcoStructureTM Security Expert provides maximum performance and protection. Best of all,
EcoStructureTM Security Expert is not limited just to Schneider Electric components and systems. Third-party systems interface with Security Expert through a variety of standard industry protocols, including SOAP (simple object access protocol), SIP (session initiation protocol), and others.
FICO Can Help
FICO has been providing turnkey building management systems (BMS), access control, and advanced security systems to businesses, schools, office buildings, hospitals, and other companies in Montana and the Pacific Northwest for over twenty years. They are also experts in building management and system integration services, and their staff has numerous industry certifications. FICO collaborates with leading BMS component and system manufacturers, security, and access control companies, providing optimum environments that are safe and comfortable for employees, save energy, and are secure for data and other operations.
