How Bastille Helps Colocation, Hyperscale, Government, and AI Facilities Meet Updated Requirements

Data centers rely on tightly controlled environments to protect critical infrastructure and maintain operational continuity. However, wireless technologies introduce unmanaged pathways that bypass traditional controls. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, Zigbee, and cellular (LTE and 5G) devices are frequently brought into facilities by staff, tenants, contractors, and equipment vendors. These devices create blind spots that conventional cybersecurity and physical security tools do not address.

NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 increases focus on wireless technologies as part of broader expectations for governance, visibility, monitoring, and response. For colocation operators, hyperscalers, government facilities, and AI-focused data centers, the updated framework provides a consistent structure for evaluating and managing RF-related risks.

This article summarizes the relevant CSF 2.0 requirements, explains why wireless visibility is critical across different data center types, and outlines how Bastille supports each environment.

Wireless-Relevant Requirements in NIST CSF 2.0

NIST CSF 2.0’s functional categories highlight several expectations that directly apply to wireless risks.

Governance of Wireless Risk

• GV.SC-03 – Technology and service risks are identified and managed. Operators must identify risks introduced by tenant devices, third-party equipment, contractor tools, and unmanaged wireless channels throughout the facility.

Accurate Asset Inventory and Visibility

• ID.AM-01 – Inventories of hardware, software, services, and data are maintained.
• ID.AM-03 – Asset vulnerabilities and exposures are identified and recorded. Wireless-capable systems must be accounted for to maintain inventory accuracy, especially devices that do not connect to managed networks.

Securing Communication Pathways

• PR.PS-01 – Physical access to assets is managed.
• PR.PT-01 – Communication channels follow secure practices. Wireless devices can unintentionally bypass physical access controls, making complete visibility into RF-based communication essential.

Continuous Monitoring and Anomaly Detection

• DE.CM-01 – The environment is monitored to detect cybersecurity events.
• DE.AE-02 – Detected events are analyzed to identify anomalies. Operators must detect unauthorized hotspots, unexpected Bluetooth signals, or wireless activity inconsistent with the facility’s security policies.

Incident Response and Recovery

• RS.MI-01 – Incidents are contained.
• RC.RP-01 – Recovery plans incorporate lessons learned. Wireless incidents require quick identification and response due to the mobility and volatility of RF-emitting devices.

How Bastille Addresses CSF 2.0 Wireless Requirements for Every Data Center Type

Bastille provides continuous monitoring across 100 MHz to 6 GHz and Wi-Fi to 7.125 GHz using 100 percent passive sensors and patented analysis techniques. It gives operators real-time visibility into all wireless activity across diverse facility models.

Colocation Data Centers

Managing Shared Environments with High Device Diversity

Colocation facilities face unique challenges due to the high volume of tenant activity and the presence of device types that operators do not fully control.

Key Risks:

• Tenants bringing in unknown wireless-enabled hardware.
• Cross-tenant wireless interference
• Unauthorized hotspots inside cages
• Contractor phones, tablets, and wireless tools inside restricted zones
• IoT sensors installed without operator awareness

How Bastille Helps:

• Identifies all wireless devices entering tenant cages or shared spaces
• Detects devices that move between tenant zones
• Highlights wireless tools used by contractors that may violate policy
• Provides real-time visibility into unauthorized hotspots or BLE peripherals
• Supports compliance documentation and tenant policy enforcement

This level of visibility supports CSF 2.0 requirements for governance, monitoring, and risk management across shared environments.

Hyperscale Data Centers

Scaling Wireless Oversight Across Massive Footprints

Hyperscale operators manage large, distributed campuses with constant equipment turnover and high levels of automation.

Key Risks:

• Frequent hardware swaps introducing new wireless-capable components
• Wireless-enabled tools used by staff across multiple buildings
• Lack of visibility into roaming wireless devices across a vast floor space
• Undetected signals near restricted racks or automation systems

How Bastille Helps:

• Monitors extensive facilities with distributed sensors for continuous coverage
• Detects movement of wireless devices across zones and buildings
• Identifies unexpected RF activity near automation, robotics, and power systems
• Integrates with existing security workflows to streamline response
• Adds contextual intelligence for wireless events across the entire campus

Bastille helps hyperscalers operationalize CSF 2.0’s monitoring and detection requirements at scale.

Government Data Centers

Meeting Higher Security Expectations and Mission Requirements

Government facilities require strict security controls for federal data, classified workloads, and national programs.

Key Risks:

• Unauthorized wireless devices brought in by visitors or contractors
• Covert communication channels created by personal devices
• Prohibited RF emissions inside classified or sensitive areas
• Wireless-enabled equipment introduced during maintenance or upgrades

How Bastille Helps:

• Delivers 100 percent passive monitoring compatible with sensitive environments
• Identifies violations of no-wireless zones
• Helps operators reduce RF exposure inside classified areas
• Supports investigative workflows by revealing approximate location and behavior
• Helps document wireless-related incidents for post-event reporting

These capabilities closely align with CSF 2.0’s requirements for identification, monitoring, and rapid response within high-security environments.

AI Data Centers

Managing Wireless Exposure in High-Density, High-Risk Compute Environments

AI data centers operate large GPU clusters, high-value intellectual property, and dense compute configurations, which attract increased interest from attackers.

Key Risks:

• Unauthorized wireless devices in proximity to GPU clusters
• BLE or Wi-Fi devices attached to carts or test equipment
• Cellular devices entering restricted training areas
• High contractor activity during hardware upgrades
• Increased attractiveness as a target for data theft or model extraction

How Bastille Helps:

• Detects RF activity near GPU racks and high-value compute zones
• Identifies wireless-enabled diagnostic tools used during frequent upgrades
• Highlights anomalies caused by previously unseen devices inside training areas
• Provides situational awareness during hardware refresh cycles
• Helps protect sensitive AI workflows where policies restrict wireless activity

AI facilities benefit from Bastille’s ability to surface RF-based anomalies that conventional tools cannot observe, supporting CSF 2.0 expectations for proactive monitoring and response.

Conclusion

Data centers of all types operate in environments where wireless technology introduces risk that traditional tools cannot address. NIST CSF 2.0 reinforces the need for governance, accurate inventory, secure communication pathways, continuous monitoring, and rapid response, all of which apply directly to wireless activity inside critical facilities.

Bastille provides the wireless visibility required to meet these expectations across colocation, hyperscale, government, and AI data centers. Its passive monitoring and patented analysis techniques help operators strengthen compliance, reduce exposure, and maintain control of complex, high-security environments.