Smart-connected equipment and residential devices are today’s reality, and so are cyberthreats.
How essential is this duo?
Multifamily property owners and builders collect, use, and store highly sensitive, personally identifiable information, like names, social security numbers, payment or bank account information, and more. Yet, every access point—each smart light, smart thermostat, and even smart gate—is a potential security vulnerability. A network breach could affect elevators, cameras, or AC/heating systems. It could open residents up to identity theft. It also puts the property manager on the legal hot seat when private information gets extracted. Data breaches are extremely costly, and small businesses can be vulnerable.
Misconception: “Cybersecurity is someone else’s problem.”
“Some people think cybersecurity is solely someone else’s responsibility,” says John Schiel, principal information security architect for Quantum Fiber. The assumption is that some ‘IT guy’ somewhere is ‘keeping an eye on it.’ Schiel believes shifting this mentality is crucial. Cyberattacks are a potential business problem for everyone.
Internet providers, building owners, management, staff, and even residents all play a role in maintaining a good security posture.
Bad actors may never attack through a multifamily company’s IT department. Instead, they focus on residents or employees with email-based schemes like phishing and ransomware attacks. Catching non-IT people off guard is why 95 percent of security breaches result from human error.
Get a solid defense in place.
Schiel says getting buy-in and widespread participation is vital. Quantum Fiber understands this and delivers robust, layered cybersecurity to help residential communities mitigate cyber-risks. “Building owners should find an internet provider who offers continually updated built-in network and security protection,” according to Schiel. He says Quantum Fiber, a Lumen Technologies brand, is a prime example.
As an established fiber internet provider to multifamily communities, Quantum Fiber offers layers of cybersecurity protection on their owned and managed fiber infrastructure. This gives owners and multifamily residents more than just an on-ramp to the internet. “We’ve got the experience and expertise to help protect the building owner, their staff, residents, and their business partners on several levels. We have multiple layers of preventative protection at the network, equipment, and human level.”
Check out these related resources:
- FAQ: Can you protect my community from cybersecurity threats?
- Multifamily Developers Need to Think Seriously About Cybersecurity
Contact a Quantum Fiber Connected Communities expert to learn about connectivity solutions tailored to your multifamily community
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