(CS)2 AI Online Symposium: Smart Building Cybersecurity (Oct. 28th)
Wednesday, October 28th, 2026: 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM
This panel looks at how and why attackers target buildings, what a 'physical consequence' attack looks like, and what owners, operators and integrators should do now.
Virtual
Panel A: When Hackers Cross into the Physical World - Ransomware and Building Systems
Description:
Attackers are no longer content with stealing data. In 2026 they have hacked refrigeration systems across hundreds of grocery stores, causing spoiled food and fires. They have disrupted door access and HVAC at a hospital, and they have locked staff out of their own offices to force ransom payments. Building automation systems (BAS) control HVAC, access control, lighting, elevators and fire panels. Most of them run on protocols with no authentication, and they are rarely monitored. That makes them both leverage for extortion and a hidden way into corporate IT. This panel looks at how and why attackers target buildings, what a 'physical consequence' attack looks like, and what owners, operators and integrators should do now.
Presentation: Managing Smart Building Vendors: Practical Strategies to Reduce Cybersecurity and Operational Risk
Panel B: Smarter Buildings, Smarter Attackers - AI, Regulation and Accountability
Description:
AI is entering building operations from both directions. Operators are deploying AI agents to optimize energy, comfort and maintenance. Attackers are using AI to learn obscure embedded systems and speed up reconnaissance. At the same time, regulation is catching up: NIS2 and the EU Cyber Resilience Act are bringing BAS into compliance scope. Insurers are demanding evidence of controls, and boards are being told that cyber risk to physical operations is a governance issue. This panel examines what AI changes in building cybersecurity, how emerging rules affect owners, manufacturers and integrators, and who should be accountable when a 'smart' building is compromised.
Hosted by Derek H