[LINK] First world problem: outsourcing building controls

[Jan Whitaker]

Google's offices in Sydney were (are?) hackable, along with evidently 
a lot more.
http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/security-it/australian-google-office-building-hacked-20130507-2j416.html

The story says that most building management systems (security, hvac, 
lighting, etc.) are installed and managed by 3rd parties. The 
perceptions in the comments are interesting, e.g. Carole:
I worked for an organisation that built a new works plant, with all 
of the latest SCADA technology. Controlled through an unencrypted 
HTTP data channel. No one except for me cared, and I told it was not 
my job to worry about it. As far as I know, it's still vulnerable. 
And yeah, these systems could raise and lower gates that would allow 
access to the org's assets behind the fence, unlock garage doors on 
big sheds storing heavy equipment, and so on.

So here's a risk management question:
If a building is breached and a burglary/damages/worse takes place as 
a result of a hacked 3rd party building control system, whose 
insurance company bears the cost and to what level?

Jan


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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