Your Blueprints, Bids, and Business Data
Are Worth Millions to Cybercriminals
Construction companies are increasingly targeted by ransomware, wire fraud, and data theft. Your bid documents, project plans, financial records, and subcontractor data are high-value targets. We protect them with cybersecurity built for the way construction companies actually operate.
Trusted by 2,500+ organizations since 2002. BBB A+ Accredited since 2003. Zero breaches among clients following our security program.
Why Construction Is a Prime Cyberattack Target
Construction companies handle millions in financial transactions, share sensitive documents across dozens of subcontractors, and operate across distributed job sites with minimal IT oversight. Attackers know this, and they are exploiting it.
Wire Fraud Prevention
Business email compromise scams targeting construction companies account for billions in losses annually. Attackers impersonate owners, GCs, and subcontractors to redirect wire transfers. Our email security and verification protocols stop these attacks before money leaves your account.
Blueprint & Bid Security
Your blueprints, cost estimates, and bid documents represent your competitive advantage. If a competitor or bad actor gains access to your bids, you lose contracts. We encrypt, control access to, and monitor every sensitive document in your organization.
Ransomware Protection
A ransomware attack during an active project can halt operations for weeks, trigger contract penalties, and destroy your reputation with general contractors and owners. Our layered defenses keep your systems running and your projects on schedule.
Subcontractor Risk Management
You share files, credentials, and network access with dozens of subcontractors on every project. Each one is a potential entry point for attackers. We manage subcontractor access with zero-trust controls that protect your network without slowing down your projects.
Construction Cybersecurity: The Risks You Cannot Ignore
The construction industry has historically operated under the assumption that cybersecurity is someone else's problem. That assumption is costing companies millions. Construction firms now rank among the top five most targeted industries for ransomware, and business email compromise scams have cost construction companies billions in fraudulent wire transfers.
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The reasons construction is so vulnerable are structural. Projects involve large financial transactions between multiple parties, creating opportunities for wire fraud. Documents like blueprints, specifications, and bid proposals are shared across dozens of subcontractors, architects, and engineers, often through unsecured channels. Job sites use IoT devices, security cameras, and connected equipment with minimal cybersecurity oversight. And field workers access company systems from personal devices, public Wi-Fi, and temporary offices that lack enterprise-grade security.
For construction companies that work on government or defense-related projects, the stakes are even higher. CMMC certification requirements, NIST 800-171 controls, and federal contract security clauses mean that inadequate cybersecurity can cost you not just data, but contracts. If you handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on any federal project, you are already required to implement specific security controls, and enforcement is tightening.
At Petronella Technology Group, Inc., we have been protecting businesses since 2002, and we understand the unique cybersecurity challenges construction companies face. Craig Petronella, our founder, is a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner, CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner, and MIT-certified cybersecurity professional with over 25 years of experience. We build cybersecurity programs that work in the real world of construction, not just on paper.
Blueprint & Bid Document Protection
Encryption, access controls, and data loss prevention for your most sensitive project documents. We ensure that blueprints, specifications, and bid proposals are only accessible to authorized personnel and are protected during transmission to subcontractors and partners.
Job Site IoT & Device Security
Security cameras, access control systems, environmental sensors, drones, and connected equipment on job sites create entry points attackers exploit. We segment and monitor these devices so a compromised camera never leads to your accounting systems.
BIM Security
Building Information Modeling platforms contain detailed structural, mechanical, and financial data about your projects. A breach of your BIM environment exposes project costs, design specifications, and client information. We secure BIM platforms with access controls, audit logging, and secure file sharing protocols.
Government Contract Compliance
Federal construction contracts increasingly require CMMC certification and NIST 800-171 compliance. As a CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner, Craig Petronella guides construction contractors through the entire compliance process, from gap analysis to certification.
Construction Cybersecurity Services
We tailor our 39+ security controls to the specific risks construction companies face: distributed job sites, subcontractor access, high-value financial transactions, and regulatory compliance requirements.
Email Security & Wire Fraud Prevention
Business email compromise is the number one financial threat to construction companies. Attackers hack or spoof the email accounts of project owners, general contractors, or subcontractors and send convincing requests to change wire transfer instructions. A single successful attack can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. We deploy advanced email security with domain authentication (DMARC, SPF, DKIM), impersonation detection, link sandboxing, and employee training specifically focused on the payment verification workflows construction companies use every day.
Subcontractor Access Management
Every construction project involves granting access to subcontractors, suppliers, architects, and engineers. Each external user is a potential security risk. We implement zero-trust access controls that give subcontractors access only to the specific files, systems, and project data they need, nothing more. When a project ends or a subcontractor relationship changes, access is automatically revoked. We also provide secure file sharing portals that replace the risky practice of emailing blueprints and bid documents as unencrypted attachments.
Job Site IoT & Camera Security
Modern job sites are increasingly connected. Security cameras, access badge systems, environmental monitoring sensors, GPS trackers, drones, and connected heavy equipment all sit on networks that, if not properly segmented, provide pathways directly into your corporate systems. We deploy network segmentation that isolates job site IoT devices from your business network, monitor these devices for suspicious activity, and ensure that a compromised camera on a job site cannot become the entry point for a ransomware attack on your headquarters.
CMMC & NIST Compliance for Government Work
If your construction company bids on federal or defense-related projects, you are likely required to comply with CMMC and NIST 800-171. These frameworks mandate specific cybersecurity controls for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Craig Petronella is a CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner with direct experience guiding contractors through the certification process. We conduct gap assessments, develop your System Security Plan, build remediation roadmaps, and prepare you for third-party CMMC assessment.
Ransomware & Business Continuity
A ransomware attack during peak construction season can stop project management, freeze accounting, lock out estimating software, and halt operations across every job site. The average downtime from a ransomware attack exceeds 21 days, and for a construction company with active contracts and liquidated damages clauses, that downtime translates directly into financial losses. We build multi-layered ransomware defenses with immutable backups, endpoint detection and response, email filtering, and secure hosting that keeps your business running even if an attack occurs.
Mobile Device & Field Security
Your superintendents, project managers, and field crews access company systems from tablets, phones, and laptops on job sites, in trucks, and at coffee shops. Every one of these devices is a potential entry point. We deploy mobile device management (MDM), enforce encryption on all devices that access company data, require multi-factor authentication, and create secure VPN tunnels that protect data in transit. If a device is lost or stolen at a job site, we can remotely wipe it within minutes to prevent data exposure.
How We Protect Your Construction Business
We understand construction companies operate on tight timelines with slim margins. Our cybersecurity implementation is designed to be fast, non-disruptive, and immediately effective.
Risk Assessment
We audit your entire technology environment: office systems, job site devices, cloud platforms, project management tools, financial systems, and subcontractor access points. We identify every vulnerability and map your highest-priority risks so we address the most dangerous exposures first.
Security Architecture
We design a security architecture that fits the distributed, multi-site nature of construction operations. This includes network segmentation between office and job site systems, secure cloud collaboration, mobile device policies, subcontractor access controls, and email security configurations that prevent wire fraud.
Rapid Deployment
We deploy our 39+ security controls across your environment without interrupting active projects. Endpoint protection, email security, backup systems, access controls, and monitoring tools are installed and configured during off-hours. Your estimators, PMs, and field crews see minimal disruption while gaining maximum protection.
Continuous Protection
Cyber threats evolve constantly, and so does our protection. We provide ongoing threat monitoring, regular vulnerability assessments, employee security training, incident response readiness, and strategic security reviews. As your company grows and takes on new types of projects, we scale your security program to match.
Construction Companies We Protect
From residential builders to heavy civil contractors, we understand the specific cybersecurity challenges each segment of the construction industry faces.
General Contractors & Construction Managers
GCs sit at the center of every project, coordinating owners, architects, engineers, and dozens of subcontractors. That makes you the hub of an enormous data-sharing ecosystem and a prime target for attackers who want access to project financials, owner information, and subcontractor payment streams.
We secure your project management platforms, protect your financial systems, and manage the complex web of subcontractor access that defines general contracting.
Specialty & Trade Contractors
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and other specialty contractors often operate with leaner IT infrastructure and less formal cybersecurity practices. Yet you handle the same sensitive project data, financial transactions, and customer information as larger firms, and attackers know you are often less protected.
We deliver right-sized cybersecurity for specialty contractors, protecting your estimating data, financial systems, and customer records without the overhead of an enterprise security program.
Government & Defense Contractors
Construction companies bidding on federal, military, or defense-related projects must meet rigorous cybersecurity requirements. CMMC certification, NIST 800-171 compliance, DFARS clauses, and facility clearance requirements create a complex regulatory landscape that most construction companies are not prepared for.
As a CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner, Craig Petronella guides construction contractors through every step of federal compliance, from initial gap analysis through certification, ensuring you can pursue and win government contracts with confidence.
Residential Builders & Developers
Residential builders handle buyer financial information, design plans, and substantial transaction volumes. A data breach that exposes homebuyer personal and financial data can trigger lawsuits, regulatory actions, and devastating reputation damage in your local market.
We protect your customer data, secure your sales and financial platforms, and ensure your digital presence is hardened against the phishing and social engineering attacks that target residential construction.
Engineering & Architecture Firms
Design firms create the intellectual property that defines construction projects. Your CAD files, BIM models, structural calculations, and design specifications represent years of expertise and significant competitive value. A breach that exposes these assets can undermine your firm's market position.
We secure your design platforms, protect your intellectual property with encryption and access controls, and ensure your collaboration tools enable secure file sharing with construction partners.
Heavy Civil & Infrastructure Contractors
Infrastructure projects involve large-scale operations with extensive equipment fleets, environmental monitoring systems, and complex regulatory requirements. These projects often involve public safety considerations that make cybersecurity not just a business issue but a community safety concern.
We protect the operational technology, SCADA systems, and project data that heavy civil contractors depend on, ensuring that critical infrastructure projects remain secure and on schedule.
Why Construction Companies Choose Petronella Technology Group, Inc.
We have been protecting businesses since 2002, and we understand that construction cybersecurity has to work in the field, not just in the office. Here is what makes us different.
Proven Track Record with Construction Clients
We have served construction companies for over two decades. We understand the software you use (Procore, PlanSwift, Buildertrend, CoConstruct, Corecon, Penta), the workflows you follow, and the unique security challenges of managing projects across multiple sites with diverse teams of employees and subcontractors. Our solutions are tested and proven in real construction environments, not adapted from a generic template.
Zero Breaches, 39+ Security Controls
Among all clients who follow our comprehensive security program, we maintain a verified record of zero breaches. Our defense-in-depth approach layers 39+ security controls across every attack vector. This is not a theoretical framework. It is a battle-tested methodology that has protected 2,500+ organizations across every industry since 2002. When you follow our program, you get the same level of protection that has maintained that zero-breach record for over two decades.
CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner
For construction companies pursuing government contracts, our CMMC expertise is a decisive advantage. Craig Petronella holds the CMMC CRP credential, which means he has the direct knowledge and authority to guide your company through the CMMC compliance process. Combined with his credentials as a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner and MIT-certified cybersecurity professional, you get a cybersecurity partner with the depth of expertise that federal compliance demands.
Security + IT Under One Roof
We offer both cybersecurity and managed IT services for construction. When your cybersecurity team and your IT team are the same team, there is no gap between security policy and implementation. Every IT decision we make for your construction company is a security decision. Every firewall rule, every user account, every cloud configuration is built with security at its foundation. One partner, complete coverage, no blind spots.
Top Cyber Threats Facing Construction Companies
Understanding the threats specific to your industry is the first step toward defending against them. Here are the attacks construction companies face most frequently and how we counter each one.
| Threat | How It Hits Construction | Our Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Business Email Compromise | Fake wire transfer requests impersonating owners, GCs, or subs redirect project payments | DMARC/SPF/DKIM, impersonation detection, payment verification training, email encryption |
| Ransomware | Encrypts project files, estimating data, and accounting systems during peak season | EDR, immutable backups, email filtering, network segmentation, incident response planning |
| Data Theft | Competitors or hackers steal bid documents, cost estimates, and client data | Data encryption, DLP tools, access controls, secure file sharing, audit logging |
| IoT Exploitation | Compromised job site cameras and sensors become entry points into corporate networks | Network segmentation, IoT monitoring, device hardening, anomaly detection |
| Insider Threats | Departing employees or disgruntled workers copy project data or sabotage systems | User behavior analytics, access reviews, data loss prevention, offboarding procedures |
Construction Cybersecurity FAQ
Answers to the questions construction company owners and executives ask most often about cybersecurity.
Is cybersecurity really necessary for a construction company?
Absolutely. Construction is now among the top five most targeted industries for ransomware, and business email compromise scams targeting construction payments account for billions in losses. Your company handles large financial transactions, shares sensitive documents with dozens of parties, and operates across distributed locations with minimal IT oversight. Every one of these characteristics makes you attractive to cybercriminals. The average ransomware downtime exceeds 21 days, and for a construction company with active contracts, that means project delays, contract penalties, and reputational damage that can take years to recover from.
How do you protect against wire fraud and BEC scams?
We take a multi-layered approach to wire fraud prevention. At the technical level, we implement email authentication protocols (DMARC, SPF, DKIM) that prevent domain spoofing, deploy AI-powered impersonation detection that flags emails attempting to mimic known contacts, and enable real-time link and attachment sandboxing. At the human level, we train your accounting team, project managers, and executives to recognize BEC red flags and establish out-of-band verification procedures for any change to payment instructions. The combination of technology and training dramatically reduces the risk of a successful wire fraud attack.
We do government construction work. Do we need CMMC?
If your construction company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on any Department of Defense contract, yes, you will need CMMC certification. Even if your current contracts do not require it, CMMC requirements are being phased into new contracts and renewals. Getting ahead of the requirement positions your company to compete for contracts that your non-certified competitors cannot bid on. Craig Petronella is a CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner who has guided numerous contractors through the certification process. We can assess your current posture and build a roadmap to compliance.
How do you secure our job sites without slowing down our crews?
We design security solutions that fit the pace of construction. Our mobile device management deploys automatically to phones and tablets without requiring field workers to configure anything. VPN connections activate transparently. Multi-factor authentication uses push notifications that take seconds. Network segmentation on job sites happens at the infrastructure level, invisible to end users. We understand that if security slows down your superintendents and project managers, they will find workarounds. So we build security that works with your workflows, not against them.
Can you also handle our day-to-day IT needs?
Yes. In addition to cybersecurity, we provide comprehensive managed IT services for construction companies. This includes help desk support, network management, cloud hosting, hardware lifecycle management, software integration, and field mobility solutions. Having one partner handle both IT and cybersecurity eliminates the gaps that occur when separate vendors manage these interconnected functions. Learn more about our full IT services offerings.
How do you protect our BIM data and project models?
BIM models contain extraordinary detail about your projects, from structural specifications to cost data to mechanical systems design. We secure BIM environments with role-based access controls that limit who can view, edit, and export models. We encrypt BIM data at rest and in transit, implement audit logging that tracks every access and modification, configure secure collaboration workflows for external partners, and deploy data loss prevention tools that prevent unauthorized export of model data. Your project intelligence stays protected throughout the design, construction, and operations lifecycle.
What does construction cybersecurity cost?
The cost of our cybersecurity program is scaled to your company's size, number of users, and complexity. What we can tell you with certainty is that the cost of cybersecurity is a fraction of the cost of a breach. The average ransomware attack costs construction companies over $1 million in downtime, recovery, and lost business. A successful wire fraud scam can cost hundreds of thousands in a single transaction. Our programs are designed to be affordable for construction companies of every size, from specialty contractors to large GCs. Contact us at 919-348-4912 for a customized assessment.
Stop Building on an Insecure Foundation
Your construction company would never pour a foundation without proper engineering. Do not build your business on an IT infrastructure without proper cybersecurity. One ransomware attack, one wire fraud scam, one data breach can undo years of reputation and financial success.
Join the 2,500+ organizations that trust Petronella Technology Group, Inc. for their cybersecurity. Get a free security assessment and find out exactly where your construction company stands today.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. — 5540 Centerview Dr. Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606 — [email protected]