– We see many attempts every day to break into our systems, so it is clearly critical for us to maintain a strong focus on security, says Harry Ljosdal, IT Manager at Kruse Smith.
The contractor, headquartered in Kristiansand, has 450 employees, about half of whom are tradespeople working out on construction sites. “Construction sites are, of course, set up for a limited period. There are often challenges in establishing lines and stable, secure communication at locations that lack available digital infrastructure,” Harry Ljosdal explains.
Previously, Kruse Smith itself set up and operated networks at the construction sites. Since this was both time-consuming and in many cases challenging, the contractor decided to partner with a security provider that could help them:
“Now Netsecurity handles the entire process of setting up, operating, and dismantling networks at our construction sites. We see that they have very strong expertise in this area and that they offer good services. This gives us both relief and the reassurance we need, Ljosdal explains.
– It is extremely important for our projects that we have stability in the network and that we avoid downtime, which can become very costly, he adds.
– The industry is becoming increasingly digitalized, and that means we have to think differently about security, says Ljosdal.
Previously, Kruse Smith worked mostly with physical drawings on the construction site. Today, this is increasingly being phased out and replaced by digital 3D models (BIM) and digital collaboration platforms with suppliers. The same applies to data centers: previously, they stored everything in physical data centers; now almost everything has been moved to the cloud.
“Altogether, a great deal of data moves every day, and that places completely different demands on the digital infrastructure out on projects than it did before,” says Harry Ljosdal.
It is critical for Kruse Smith that information does not fall into the wrong hands. They handle large volumes of contracts, drawings, and other information digitally. – Both developers and customers place higher demands on security now, and we as a supplier must deliver on that, says Harry Ljosdal.
– It is extremely important for our projects that we have stability in the network and that we avoid downtime, which can become very costly.
Harry Ljosdal, IT Manager at Kruse Smith
– We must not underestimate how exposed we really are, says Harry Ljosdal emphatically.
It takes time, focus and expertise to stay up to date on security as a field. According to Ljosdal, this is why it feels safe to have an IT security provider that is proactive both in terms of services and expertise:
– Working with Netsecurity clearly gives us greater peace of mind in our daily work. I know that security is being taken care of, and in addition it is great to have a partner who knows us, responds and follows us up.
Kruse Smith has taken many steps to safeguard security in the platforms they use. The contractor has enormous amounts of data, systems that must be available, uptime that must be ensured, and employees who have both PCs and mobile phones:
“So we have had to take some important steps to ensure a secure everyday environment. Systems are one thing, and that is important, but we also work a great deal to ensure that employees themselves receive training and understand why security is important.
Kruse Smith has therefore, among other things, carried out simulated attacks through a Phishing exercise, so that employees can practice handling a possible attack. They have also introduced two-factor authentication and a strict regime for the machines in use.
“Building security awareness internally is important in order to reduce the risk of a successful attack,” Harry Ljosdal concludes.