Today, Blackpoint Cyber and Colliers International announced a partnership to provide cyber security for commercial real estate. Colliers has launched 'Neighborhood Curated by Colliers', a platform that consists of technology-forward services, providing innovative and industry-changing partnerships centered around augmented reality, cyber security, tenant engagement, and community staffing – bringing new life to properties. Blackpoint Cyber is a key partner in this platform, providing its security operations and incident response platform, SNAP-Defense, and its Networked Industrial Control Operations Security (NICOS) modulefor securing both IT and Operational Technology (OT) infrastructures as a 24/7 managed service.
Building automation systems (BAS) in commercial buildings provide convenience and efficiency, but they also introduce security vulnerabilities. Most smart buildings are equipped with IP-connected alarm systems, lighting controls, HVAC controls, irrigation controls, access controls, and more – and these devices are often secured by nothing more than a firewall. Furthermore, as IT and OT infrastructures converge, cyber adversaries have more attack surfaces to exploit, threatening basic building function and ultimately leading to disaster. If an attacker can gain privileged user access in the IT network, they can laterally spread to the OT network in seconds and vice versa.
Blackpoint's SNAP-Defense and NICOS provide the first integrated IT and OT cyber security threat detection and response platform in the industry. Employing SNAP's patented live network map, Blackpoint's Managed Detection and Response (MDR) team will monitor, hunt, and respond to threats within IT and OT environments as well as those that cross the boundary. Blackpoint Cyber is already protecting over 135 commercial real estate buildings and has seen everything from misplaced cables to BAS ransomware to remote access issues.
"Commercial real estate is employing a growing number of IP-enabled devices. These devices contain unknown vulnerabilities and are connected to limited-security networks often using insecure protocols", said Jon Murchison, CEO of Blackpoint. "Such environments, combined with remote privileged access by product vendors who are not necessarily focused on cyber security, will create serious cyber events which will impact building operations and tenants. This situation epitomizes the security challenges of OT." By detecting and responding to breaches in their earliest stages, Blackpoint's MDR service mitigates attacks before properties are compromised.
The partnership between Blackpoint Cyber and Colliers is an exciting step forward in the commercial real estate industry. By leveraging Blackpoint's integrated IT/OT 24/7 managed detection and response service, Colliers remains committed to property success by offering effective, affordable, real-time cyber security solutions to its clients, partners, and tenants.
About Blackpoint Cyber
Blackpoint Cyber is a cyber security company headquartered in Maryland, USA. The company was established by former US Department of Defense and Intelligence cyber security and technology experts. Leveraging its real-world cyber experience and knowledge of malicious cyber behavior and tradecraft, Blackpoint provides cyber security products and services to help organizations protect their infrastructure and operations. The company's proprietary security operations and incident response platform, SNAP-Defense, is available as a product or as a 24x7 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service. Blackpoint's mission is to provide effective, affordable real-time threat detection and response to organizations of all sizes around the world.
