In a byline for Data Center Dynamics, DataBank Chief Information Security Officer Mark Houpt argues that building systems such as HVAC controllers and UPS network cards deserve the same security scrutiny as servers and networks. His piece responds to recently disclosed vulnerabilities in widely used data center equipment.

Houpt explains that many building management systems were designed decades ago, run quietly in the background, and are often kept in service years past a typical IT refresh cycle. Combined with uneven security maturity across a fast-growing industry, those factors create gaps that attackers look for.

“Data centers carry a risk profile most enterprises do not share. They hold digital assets and sensitive data, and they also operate the physical machinery that keeps that data accessible. A vulnerability in a network card or a building controller threatens both sides of that equation at once.”
Mark Houpt, CISO, DataBank

He outlines what a mature program looks like, including continuous vulnerability scanning, consistent patching, layered protections, and a practiced incident response capability. A real-world example shows how a mistaken shutdown command was handled quickly because the team had a plan.

Houpt closes by noting that data centers face a risk profile unlike most enterprises, since they protect both digital assets and the physical machinery that keeps them available.

Read the full article at Data Center Dynamics.