Cybersecurity in Construction Isn’t Optional Anymore
- Averey Peter
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Why small firms are the biggest targets — and how Scelta is leading the way.
Construction is a Boots on the Ground industry, but behind the scenes, digital infrastructure is growing fast. With that digital growth comes digital risk. As more data, project updates, and contracts live online, subcontractors, general contractors, and developers are quietly becoming prime targets for cyberattacks.
The common myth? “We’re too small to worry about cybersecurity.”
But in the latest episode of our podcast, two computer science students from the University of Windsor helping lead Scelta’s participation in the WESecure Pilot Program made the truth impossible to ignore: the smaller you are, the more vulnerable you might be.
"It takes just one simple vulnerability to be scanned by a simple script… and your entire business, your lifeline, it’s all gone in one moment," said Jack Byrne, a student specializing in networks and security.
Small Businesses, Big Risk
For most cybercriminals, it’s not about fame. It’s about ease. And small construction firms with weak systems are often the easiest entry points. Jack and his co-lead Yamama Tuma described how scripts freely available online can scan for basic vulnerabilities. One weak password or outdated piece of software is all it takes.
"It’s not only your own internal team that you have to keep an eye on, it’s also all the vendors, all the clients you work with, right? All the incoming information that are potential threats," said Yamama. "You could think of it like the weakest link concept or mindset. If you all have your hands in the same cookie jar, someone has germs on their hand, it’s going to spread to everyone."
This makes the stakes very real: not just stolen data, but full project stoppages, legal exposure, and lasting damage to client trust. As Yamama put it:
"Even if you're protected… they could still, like, for example, try to attack your machine or attack your system for it to stop for like five minutes. But these five minutes can make you lose millions of dollars…"
Jack continues saying,
"What stops you from making it a five-million-dollar problem to maybe a fifty-thousand-dollar problem is knowing what to do and having the means to do it effectively."
Where to Start: Cybersecurity. in COnstruction
Before hiring an outside firm or purchasing software, small construction businesses can take simple but effective actions:
Role-based access: Not everyone should see everything. Limit access to sensitive data by job function.
Test your team: Send out simulated phishing emails and monitor who clicks. Awareness is the first defence.
Update passwords regularly: Strong, unique passwords with scheduled changes are still one of the best lines of defence.
"Most of the attacks happen from phishing or using a weak password, or not updating their passwords or reusing [them]," said Yamama. "It is very important to have employees get knowledge about this specific or basic awareness of cybersecurity."
These aren't technical overhauls—they're culture changes. And building that culture is part of what Scelta is doing right now.
Scelta's Leadership in Cybersecurity
As the first company accepted into the WESecure Pilot Program, Scelta is taking cybersecurity seriously—not just for its own team, but for every developer, site supervisor, and client who interacts with the Scelta ecosystem.
We're embedding new protocols directly into our products, training our team, and working with experts like Jack and Yamama to ensure we aren't just checking boxes. We’re building systems that actually get used without slowing teams down.
"The most secure application and, like, enterprise you can think of probably sucks to work in," Jack said. "So it's difficult to find the balance between what you need and what you can accomplish reasonably for your employees."
Cybersecurity is a Culture, Not a Checkbox
There is no finish line. This is an ongoing effort. But by taking the first step—by caring—companies can move from reactive to proactive, from vulnerable to resilient.
Whether you’re a subcontractor storing specs on your phone or a developer managing ten active sites, your data matters. And so does your reputation.
Scelta is proud to lead by example.
Catch the full conversation on YouTube to hear more from Jack and Yamama on how cybersecurity is shaping the future of construction.
Comments