BIM & Cybersecurity in Smart Construction

Project Type: Academic Research / Final Year Thesis

This final-year thesis was conducted at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and explored the intersection of cybersecurity and Building Information Modeling (BIM) within the context of smart construction systems. As BIM adoption accelerates in digitally driven construction environments, the research identified how its collaborative, multi-user nature introduces significant security challenges.

Research Scope

The study critically examined how BIM-based workflows, especially in cloud-integrated, smart infrastructure projects are vulnerable to issues like unauthorized access, version manipulation, data leaks, and intellectual property theft. It also identified the lack of industry-standard cybersecurity frameworks for BIM deployments in Nigeria and similar contexts.

Core Contributions

• Analyzed the cybersecurity risks within shared BIM environments
• Proposed a multi-layered security framework combining:
  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
  • End-to-end encryption protocols
  • Secure user session handling and audit trails
• Introduced Zero Trust Architecture and blockchain concepts to safeguard model integrity and user authentication
• Provided guidelines for secure collaboration across architectural, engineering, and construction teams

Impact

This research sparked a deep academic and professional interest in cybersecurity systems, shaping my trajectory toward digital infrastructure protection. It remains a foundational work that connects my background in built environments with my current focus on secure digital ecosystems.