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Cyber security threats trigger need for new PAS 1192-5

The BIM Task Group’s “security working group” is working with the British Standards Institute to produce new guidance on cyber security that will become part of the project governance framework for Level 2 BIM.

The document, PAS 1192-5: Specification for security-minded building information management, digital built environments and smart asset management, is currently in development with a first draft due to be published before Christmas.

It’s likely that a wider public consultation will then follow in early 2015.

The forthcoming document was trailed by Construction Manager in its October issue – see our article here – but only publicly announced at the ICE’s BIM 2014: Business as Usual conference on October 29.

According to a statement on the BIM Task Group website, the new PAS 1192-5 will “outline security threats to the use of information during asset conception, procurement, design, construction, operation, and disposal. It will address the steps required to create and cultivate an appropriate security mind-set and the secure culture necessary to enable business to unlock new and more efficient processes and collaborative ways of working.”

The statement continues: “The intended audience for this PAS includes organisations and individuals responsible for the procurement, design, construction, delivery, operation and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure assets.”

Hugh Boyes, cyber security lead at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, told BIM+ that the need for guidance on improving cyber security in Level 2 BIM projects became clear after feedback from early adopters and BIM pilot projects.

“The BIM Task Group is looking at what’s needed for BIM implementation and plugging the gaps. BIM’s moving from the pilot project stage to going mainstream, so all the questions raised during the pilots start to emerge. For instance, there’s also more work being done on learning outcomes [for BIM courses], it’s the industry coming back to government and saying ‘what about?…’” 

Boyes added that he hoped the new PAS 1192-5 would draw on existing guidance, such as the IET’s 128 page Code of Practice for Cyber Security in the Built Environment, published this month, or 10 steps to Cyber Security, published by BIS.

Asked whether implementing the new PAS 1192-5 was likely to add to project teams’ BIM costs, he said this was unlikely, as the guidance would recognise that cyber security measures are not a “one size fits all” and should be tailored to the size of the project.

“Not all parts of the document will be applicable to everybody, it will in effect have to cater for everybody from Crossrail to an architect designing a small office block in the provinces. It’ll temper what needs to be done to the nature of the asset. An awful lot of it is just about making sure you apply good practice,” he concluded. 

The BIM Task Group is looking at what’s needed for BIM implementation and plugging the gaps. BIM’s moving from the pilot project stage to going mainstream, so all the questions raised during the pilots start to emerge.– Hugh Boyes, Institution of Engineering and Technology

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