The increasing digitization of smart buildings presents both unprecedented convenience and significant cybersecurity challenges. With the number of IoT devices globally projected to reach 40 billion by 2030—up from 16.6 billion in 2023, and interconnected systems managing critical functions such as access control, HVAC, and lighting, the potential attack surface for cybercriminals continues to expand. A comprehensive approach to security by leveraging edge computing, hardware-based solutions, air gapped systems, and secured wireless protocols such as Bluetooth® Mesh technology, is essential to mitigate these risks and safeguard sensitive data.
Top Biggest Security Flaws in Existing Smart Building Frameworks
Cyberattacks on IoT devices have been increasing rapidly, growing by 400% year- over year (YoY). Traditional cybersecurity frameworks for smart buildings often rely on centralized cloud-based architectures, creating several vulnerabilities. One of the most critical flaws lies in the dependency on internet-connected systems to control building operations. These frameworks inherently introduce risks such as remote exploitation, unauthorized access, and the potential for widespread system failures in the event of a Cyberattack.
Additionally, many smart building solutions lack robust encryption standards, leaving transmitted data susceptible to interception. Weak authentication protocols further exacerbate these risks, enabling cybercriminals to gain entry to building networks and manipulate critical infrastructure.
Cloud-Based Operation and Increased Cyber Threat Vulnerability
Cloud dependency remains a major weak point in smart building security. While cloud solutions offer scalability and remote accessibility; they also create multiple vulnerabilities. Any system that transmits data over the internet inherently exposes itself to interception, hacking, or service disruptions. Cloud-based architectures are often targeted by distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which can bring down critical systems and disrupt building operations.
Another issue is data privacy. Cloud-reliant systems collect, process, and store vast amounts of occupant data, including access credentials and behavioral patterns. This concentration of sensitive information makes cloud-based platforms attractive targets for cybercriminals. Moreover, misconfigurations in cloud security settings or inadequate encryption measures can expose user data, leading to potential breaches with severe financial and reputational consequences.
Keys to Transform Cybersecurity in Smart Buildings: Edge Computing, Air Gapped Networks, and Hardware-First Security
A shift toward a decentralized approach by eliminating external access points can address these vulnerabilities effectively.
- Edge Computing for Real-Time Security: Processing data at the edge— closer to its source—significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks by minimizing data transmission to external networks. By keeping critical information within the local environment, organizations can limit exposure to remote threats while ensuring faster response times for threat detection and mitigation.
- Air-Gapped Networks for Enhanced Isolation: Air-gapped systems physically separate critical networks from the internet and other external access points, preventing cyber intrusions. This approach ensures that even if one system is compromised, it does not serve as a gateway to the entire infrastructure. With air-gapped networks, malicious actors are unable to exploit remote entry points, reducing the likelihood of ransomware attacks and unauthorized system manipulations.
- Hardware-First Security for Data Privacy: Implementing security at the hardware level ensures that only essential data is collected, minimizing exposure to potential breaches. For instance, instead of recording and transmitting full audio feeds, security solutions can be designed to analyze data in real-time and transmit only essential signals, such as identifying abnormal sound patterns without recording conversations. Similarly, motion sensors can differentiate human presence, eliminating the need for invasive surveillance.
Bluetooth® Mesh Security: Encryption, Authentication, and Privacy
Bluetooth® Mesh has emerged as a powerful networking open standard for smart buildings, industrial automation, and connected lighting systems. With its ability to support thousands of devices in a decentralized network, security is a top concern. Cyberattacks such as eavesdropping, replay attacks, unauthorized access, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks pose serious threats to IoT systems. Fortunately, Bluetooth® Mesh incorporates multiple layers of encryption, authentication, and privacy protection to safeguard networks from cyber threats.
- Strong Encryption & Authentication
Bluetooth® Mesh ensures that all communication is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access. It uses AES-128 encryption with Counter with CBC-MAC (CCM) to protect data transmitted across the network. Even if an attacker intercepts a message, they cannot read or modify it without the correct encryption keys.
Each message also contains a message integrity check (MIC) to verify its authenticity. This prevents attackers from injecting fake messages or altering commands sent between devices. Additionally, Bluetooth® Mesh protects against replay attacks by using sequence numbers—ensuring that older messages cannot be resent by an attacker to manipulate devices.
- Secure Device Provisioning
Before a device can join a Bluetooth® Mesh network, it must go through a secure provisioning process to prove its authenticity. This process includes:
- Out-of-Band (OOB) authentication, such as QR codes or NFC, to verify legitimate devices.
- Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) encryption, ensuring that device provisioning is secure against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.
Unlike some IoT systems that rely on default passwords or pre-configured security credentials, Bluetooth® Mesh ensures that all devices establish secure keys during provisioning, preventing attackers from exploiting weak authentication.
- Network-Level Security
Bluetooth® Mesh networks use a three-tiered key system to provide strong security at different levels:
- Network Key (NetKey): Encrypts messages at the network level, ensuring all devices in the mesh are authenticated.
- Application Key (AppKey): Used for specific applications, preventing unauthorized devices from accessing sensitive functions (e.g., lighting control vs. security systems).
- Device Key (DevKey): Assigned to each device during provisioning, preventing rogue devices from impersonating others.
If a device is compromised, Bluetooth® Mesh supports a key refresh mechanism, allowing administrators to generate new encryption keys and remove unauthorized devices from the network.
- Privacy Protection
To prevent tracking and data theft, Bluetooth® Mesh devices use randomized source addresses that change periodically. This prevents attackers from identifying or tracking specific devices based on their network activity.
Additionally, message relays in the mesh network do not decrypt forwarded messages. This means that even if an attacker gains control of a relay node, they cannot read the message contents or identify the sender, enhancing overall network privacy.
- Defense Against Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks
Bluetooth® Mesh has built-in mechanisms to prevent message flooding attacks, where an attacker attempts to overwhelm the network by sending a large number of requests. Rate-limiting ensures that devices cannot overload the network with excessive messages.
Suspicious devices can also be blacklisted or temporarily blocked, preventing malicious nodes from disrupting operations. Additionally, because Bluetooth® Mesh devices do not connect directly to the internet, they are less vulnerable to remote cyber threats compared to traditional Wi-Fi-based IoT systems.
A cyber-secure approach to Smart Buildings
As cyber threats evolve, so too must the security strategies used to protect smart buildings. A holistic approach that integrates edge computing, air-gapped networks, and hardware-first security measures provides a stronger defense against emerging threats. By decentralizing data processing and minimizing cloud exposure, smart building operators can significantly enhance security while maintaining user privacy. The adoption of Bluetooth® Mesh further strengthens authentication protocols, ensuring robust protection against unauthorized access.
With the growing need for resilient cybersecurity frameworks, organizations must rethink their reliance on traditional, cloud-based security models. Prioritizing hardware-based security and decentralized network architectures is key to safeguarding the future of smart buildings from cyber threats.
About the Author
Fabio Zaniboni, Founder and CEO of BubblyNet, is a technology leader with over two decades of experience in the Internet of Things (IoT), digital transformation, and sustainable innovation, particularly in the lighting industry. His career, including roles at Emerson Electric and Comau Robotics, has given him a global perspective and market insights. Leading an R&D team, Fabio integrates advanced technologies to enhance building efficiency, sustainability, and user experience. His research on how factors like light, sound, and air affect well-being is driving smarter, more sustainable building solutions. Known for transforming complex technologies into scalable applications, Fabio partners with global organizations to foster digital innovation and sustainability in the built environment. For more about BubblyNet visit https://bubblynet.com/.
