Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Off-Site Construction

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is seeking to advance traditional construction practices towards more efficient and internet of things (IoT)-based construction practices, such as offsite construction. Offsite construction (OSC) allows for the simultaneous fabrication of building modules and onsite work. Integrating IoT technologies in construction practice is projected to improve the industry’s growth. However, there is an increase in cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Cyber threats are becoming more disruptive and targeted, resulting in monetary and infrastructure losses. Furthermore, the COVID pandemic and the instability in Europe have seen over 100% increases in cyber-attacks, and most industries have weak cybersecurity protocols. The adoption of cybersecurity frameworks in the construction industry is sluggish, and the existing security frameworks fall short in addressing the needs of the industry. This paper gives a concise review of the offsite construction value chain vulnerabilities. We explore the existing cybersecurity frameworks and identify their limitations. Cybersecurity is presented as one of the most crucial components that has received little or no attention in OSC. The future of OSC is promising with the incorporation of Industry 4.0 technologies; however, its development needs to consider more proactive security approaches and management techniques that are adapted to the current hostile cyber landscape.