Choosing a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is a significant investment in operational efficiency. However, in an increasingly digitized industrial landscape, it’s also a critical security decision. A CMMS houses sensitive data, from proprietary equipment schematics and maintenance schedules to compliance records and parts inventories. Understanding what security features a CMMS should have is the first step toward protecting these valuable digital assets from unauthorized access, disruption, or theft. A breach can lead to production halts, intellectual property loss, or severe safety incidents, making robust CMMS security a non-negotiable requirement for any modern operation.
The risks are particularly high for industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and utilities, where operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) are converging. A compromised CMMS can become a gateway to your entire operational network. This guide provides a clear, practical framework for evaluating CMMS data security.
We will break down the essential security pillars, compare leading providers, and help you select the best enterprise asset management software with the right protections to deliver a strong return on investment and safeguard your business continuity.
Why Strong CMMS Security is a Business Imperative
Prioritizing CMMS security isn’t just an IT concern; it’s a core business strategy that directly impacts operational resilience, compliance, and profitability. A system without adequate protections exposes your organization to significant and often underestimated risks. Investing in a secure platform is a direct investment in mitigating these threats.
- Protect Operational Continuity: A security event like a ransomware attack can lock down your maintenance system, halting work orders and preventive maintenance schedules. This leads to immediate and costly equipment downtime, disrupting production and service delivery.
- Safeguard Intellectual Property: Your CMMS contains valuable IP, including custom equipment specifications, unique maintenance procedures, and detailed parts inventories. Strong security prevents this proprietary information from being stolen by competitors or malicious actors.
- Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Many industries, including food and beverage, healthcare, and utilities, operate under strict data-handling regulations. Robust CMMS data security, with features like audit trails and access controls, is essential for passing audits and avoiding heavy fines.
- Mitigate Financial Risk: The financial impact of a data breach goes far beyond downtime. It includes the costs of remediation, regulatory penalties, potential legal fees, and long-term damage to your company’s reputation. A secure CMMS is a fundamental tool for risk management.
How We Evaluated CMMS Security Features
This evaluation is based on a standardized framework of security best practices essential for protecting sensitive enterprise and manufacturing data. To determine what security features a CMMS should have, we assessed providers against five core criteria that form the foundation of a resilient and trustworthy system.
- Data Encryption: We verified the use of strong, modern encryption protocols for data in transit (e.g., TLS 1.2+) and data at rest (e.g., AES-256). This ensures that information is unreadable even if intercepted or accessed without authorization.
- Access Control: The system must offer granular, role-based access control (RBAC). This allows administrators to define precisely who can view, create, edit, or delete specific data, enforcing the principle of least privilege.
- Authentication Methods: We looked for the availability of modern authentication protocols that enhance security beyond a simple password, including Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
- Compliance and Auditing: We considered adherence to recognized security standards, such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certifications. The platform must also provide comprehensive audit trails that log user activity for accountability and forensic analysis.
- Infrastructure and Redundancy: The evaluation included the provider’s use of secure cloud hosting (e.g., AWS, Azure), their policies on regular third-party security audits, and the existence of documented disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Top CMMS Providers for Security in 2024
Selecting a CMMS requires a close look at its security architecture. The following providers offer a range of features designed to protect your operational data, each with distinct strengths tailored to different business needs and industries.
eWorkOrders
Role: Comprehensive Security for Complex Operations
Snapshot: eWorkOrders provides a robust, cloud-based CMMS/EAM platform with a strong emphasis on configurable security controls, data integrity, and reliable infrastructure. Security features are integrated across the entire platform, from work orders to asset management. The system offers granular, role-based permissions, allowing administrators to precisely control what data users can see and edit.
This is critical for regulated industries where audit trails and access logs are mandatory. Hosted in a secure environment with regular backups and disaster recovery protocols, eWorkOrders is designed to protect sensitive operational data, including equipment schematics, compliance documentation, and inventory details, ensuring business continuity and mitigating risk.
Core Strength: Granular user permissions and dedicated secure hosting environments tailored to enterprise-level compliance and operational needs.
Best For: Organizations in regulated industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and utilities that require detailed audit trails and stringent access controls.
Pro Tip: Ask about their dedicated hosting options for enhanced security and compliance needs.
Fiix CMMS
Role: Cloud-Native Security & Compliance
Snapshot: A Rockwell Automation company, Fiix offers a cloud-native CMMS with a well-documented focus on modern security standards. Their platform is built on secure cloud infrastructure, incorporating protections at the network, application, and data levels. Key features include data encryption in transit and at rest, regular vulnerability scanning, and strict internal access controls.
Fiix emphasizes its commitment to data privacy and compliance, providing a framework that helps organizations meet their regulatory obligations. Their public-facing security documentation offers transparency into their practices, covering everything from employee security training to their incident response plan, making it a solid choice for security-conscious teams.
Core Strength: Strong emphasis on application security and data privacy. The company claims SOC 2 Type 2 compliance.
Best For: Mid-sized to large organizations looking for a scalable, cloud-first CMMS with a well-documented security posture.
Pro Tip: Inquire about their specific SOC 2 report details during your evaluation process.
UpKeep
Role: Mobile-First Security
Snapshot: UpKeep is a mobile-first CMMS that prioritizes secure access for technicians and managers working in the field. Recognizing that maintenance work often happens away from a desk, their architecture is designed to protect data on any device. The platform employs strong encryption for data transmission and storage, ensuring that work orders, asset details, and parts information remain confidential. UpKeep also engages in regular third-party penetration testing to proactively identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Their security framework includes detailed vulnerability management and strict physical security protocols for their data centers, providing a reliable solution for companies with a distributed, mobile workforce.
Core Strength: Secure mobile architecture and clear policies around data handling and third-party penetration testing. Offers GDPR compliance features.
Best For: Companies with a large mobile workforce that need secure, on-the-go access to maintenance data.
Pro Tip: Test the mobile app’s permission settings to ensure field techs see only necessary data.
MaintainX
Role: Encrypted Communications & Workflow
Snapshot: MaintainX positions itself as a workflow and communication platform for industrial and frontline teams, with security as a core component. The system is designed to keep all maintenance-related communication, from work order updates to safety checklists, within a secure, encrypted environment. They emphasize adherence to recognized security standards, pursuing certifications like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 to validate their controls.
All data, whether in transit between devices or at rest in their databases, is encrypted. This focus on secure, auditable communication and workflow automation makes it a strong contender for teams needing to replace insecure methods like text messages or paper trails.
Core Strength: Provides encryption for all data in transit and at rest. Strong focus on SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance.
Best For: Teams that rely heavily on internal communication and real-time updates within their maintenance platform.
Pro Tip: Leverage integrated chat to keep sensitive maintenance discussions within a secure platform.
Limble CMMS
Role: User-Friendly with Enterprise Security
Snapshot: Limble CMMS is known for its user-friendly interface, but it doesn’t sacrifice security for simplicity. The platform provides enterprise-grade security features designed to protect maintenance operations without creating a steep learning curve. Key among these is Single Sign-On (SSO) integration, which allows companies to enforce their own password and authentication policies seamlessly.
Limble also offers advanced, granular user permissions and relies on secure, reputable cloud hosting providers. Their commitment includes robust data backup protocols and a clear disaster recovery plan, ensuring that critical maintenance data is both secure and highly available for teams that need reliability.
Core Strength: Single Sign-On (SSO) integration and robust data backup and recovery protocols.
Best For: Organizations that need powerful security features without a steep learning curve for their maintenance teams.
Pro Tip: Use the SSO feature to simplify user access and improve password security hygiene.
eMaint CMMS
Role: Industrial-Grade Security
Snapshot: As a Fluke-owned company, eMaint delivers a CMMS specifically hardened for industrial and manufacturing environments. Its security protocols are built to protect not just standard business data but also sensitive operational technology (OT) information. The platform is designed to integrate securely with plant-floor equipment and control systems, helping to bridge the IT/OT security gap.
eMaint’s security framework addresses the unique challenges of industrial settings, where a breach could lead to production halts or safety incidents. This focus on industrial-grade security makes it a suitable choice for heavy manufacturing, utilities, and other critical infrastructure sectors.
Core Strength: Integration with industrial systems and adherence to security standards relevant to operational technology (OT).
Best For: Heavy industrial and manufacturing facilities that need to secure both IT and OT data streams.
Pro Tip: Discuss how to securely integrate the CMMS with your existing plant floor OT systems.
Hippo CMMS
Role: Secure Asset & Data Management
Snapshot: Hippo CMMS focuses on creating a secure, centralized hub for all maintenance and asset data. The platform is designed to be the single source of truth for facilities, ensuring that information like equipment history, preventive maintenance schedules, and compliance records are protected and accessible. Security is underpinned by reliable cloud hosting with built-in redundancy and comprehensive data protection measures.
Hippo emphasizes its disaster recovery planning, with regular backups and clear protocols to ensure business continuity in the event of an outage. This focus on data integrity and availability makes it a strong option for managers who prioritize long-term, secure record-keeping.
Core Strength: Data redundancy and disaster recovery planning to ensure business continuity.
Best For: Facilities managers who prioritize data availability and long-term record keeping.
Pro Tip: Verify their data backup frequency and disaster recovery time objectives (RTO/RPO).
FMX
Role: Secure Facilities Management
Snapshot: FMX offers a facilities management platform where security is tailored to the complexities of managing multi-user buildings like schools, commercial properties, and community centers. The system’s core security strength lies in its highly configurable role-based permissions. Administrators can create distinct access levels for internal maintenance staff, external vendors, and even tenants, ensuring each user only sees the information relevant to their role.
This prevents unauthorized access to sensitive building schematics, tenant information, or vendor contracts. FMX provides a secure, auditable environment for managing work orders, scheduling resources, and tracking assets across a diverse user base.
Core Strength: Role-based permissions tailored for facilities staff, vendors, and tenants.
Best For: Schools, property management firms, and other organizations managing multi-user facilities.
Pro Tip: Define user roles carefully to control vendor and tenant access to building data.
ManagerPlus
Role: Enterprise Asset Security
Snapshot: An iOFFICE + SpaceIQ product, ManagerPlus is an enterprise asset management (EAM) solution built to secure data across large, geographically distributed operations. Its security architecture is designed to scale, accommodating complex asset inventories in industries like construction, fleet management, and multi-site manufacturing. The platform provides centralized control over maintenance data while allowing for segmented access based on location, department, or asset type.
This ensures that teams in one facility cannot access sensitive information from another. For enterprises managing high-value assets across a wide footprint, ManagerPlus offers the scalable security controls needed for effective oversight and risk management.
Core Strength: Scalable security architecture for managing large, complex asset inventories.
Best For: Enterprises in construction, fleet management, and manufacturing with high-value, geographically dispersed assets.
Pro Tip: Use its asset hierarchy to set location-specific security permissions for distributed teams.
TheWorxHub (by Dude Solutions)
Role: Specialized Senior Living Security
Snapshot: Developed by Dude Solutions (now Brightly), TheWorxHub is a specialized CMMS for senior living and healthcare communities where data security is directly linked to resident privacy and regulatory compliance. The platform includes features specifically designed to help organizations meet their HIPAA obligations.
Security controls focus on protecting sensitive resident information that may be included in maintenance requests or work orders. Role-based permissions ensure that only authorized staff can access this data, and detailed audit trails provide a record of all system activity. For facilities where compliance is non-negotiable, TheWorxHub offers a targeted solution built around protecting personal health information.
Core Strength: Features and protocols that support HIPAA compliance and protect sensitive resident information.
Best For: Senior living and healthcare facilities where data security is tied to patient and resident privacy.
Pro Tip: Confirm which specific features directly support your HIPAA compliance documentation and audits.
Our Process for a Secure CMMS Implementation
We provide a clear, step-by-step process to ensure your CMMS is configured for your specific operational and security needs.
- Tell us about your maintenance management needs (quick online form or call).
- Get a live demo of eWorkOrders CMMS/EAM software to see how it can simplify your maintenance operations.
- Receive a customized plan to streamline your workflows — from work orders and preventive maintenance to asset tracking and inventory control.
- Start using an award-winning CMMS trusted by thousands of businesses across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, food & beverage, and facilities management.
- Work with our expert support team with 30+ years of experience delivering top-rated service, training, and implementation.
Why eWorkOrders is a Leader in Secure Maintenance Management
Our platform is built on a foundation of security, reliability, and deep industry expertise.
- Award-winning CMMS and EAM software trusted by thousands of organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, food & beverage, utilities, and facilities management.
- Over 30 years of experience delivering proven maintenance management solutions and exceptional customer support.
- Cloud-based platform with real-time visibility into work orders, assets, preventive maintenance, and inventory control.
- Flexible configuration, mobile access, and API integration to fit any organization’s maintenance workflows and compliance needs.
- Recognized by G2, Capterra, and Software Advice for Best Value, Ease of Use, and Customer Support.
Secure Your Operations with the Right CMMS
Choosing a CMMS is fundamentally a decision about how you protect your most critical operational assets and data. The right system not only streamlines maintenance but also serves as a vital layer of defense in an evolving threat landscape. The essential security pillars—robust encryption, granular access controls, modern authentication like SSO and MFA, and verifiable compliance—are not optional features but core requirements for business resilience.
The right partner provides both the technology and the expertise to help you navigate these complexities. As you evaluate your options, consider what security features a CMMS should have to truly safeguard your organization’s bottom line and future. Book a demo today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main security difference between a cloud CMMS and an on-premise CMMS?
Cloud CMMS security is managed by the vendor, who handles server maintenance, patching, and physical data center security. On-premise security is entirely the responsibility of your internal IT team. While on-premise offers more direct control, cloud solutions often benefit from dedicated, expert security teams and infrastructure that can be costly to replicate in-house.
How does CMMS data security support regulatory compliance (e.g., FDA, HIPAA)?
A secure CMMS supports compliance by providing features like detailed audit trails, role-based access controls to limit data exposure, and data encryption. These tools help you prove that sensitive information, like maintenance records for medical equipment or food processing machinery, is managed according to regulatory standards.
What is SOC 2 compliance and why does it matter for a CMMS vendor?
SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) is an auditing procedure that ensures a service provider securely manages data to protect client interests and privacy. A SOC 2 compliant CMMS vendor has been independently verified to have stringent controls in place for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
Beyond software features, what should I ask a CMMS vendor about their security policies?
Ask about their incident response plan, employee security training, frequency of third-party penetration testing, and their data backup and disaster recovery procedures. A transparent vendor should be able to provide clear documentation on these internal policies to demonstrate their commitment to security.
