By Electrical Construction and Maintenance

With the growth of connected lighting systems that via Wi-Fi, Li-Fi and sensor features function as an IT network as much as a lighting system, concerns for security and privacy in lighting systems are growing as well. The National Lighting Bureau (NLB) posted an interesting panel discussion from its recent Annual Lighting Forum, titled “Shedding Light on Light”, which it produced in conjunction with the EdisonReport, focused on cybersecurity risks.

Participants Mark Lein, government and industry relations director of Osram Sylvania, James Yorgey, technical applications manager for Lutron Electronics, and Marty Reisberg, director of curriculum development for the Electrical Training Alliance, discussed many aspects of the threats and the steps manufacturers and installers can take to provide better security.

Ranging from lighting devices deliberately developed to broadcast private conversations of people nearby to system architecture considerations to contractor qualification and education, the conversation raises visibility on an often-overlooked risk that comes with new lighting system technologies and the systems’ role as a backbone for Internet of Things (IoT) deployments.

Article was originally published on Electrical Construction & Maintenance.