The discussion about security tends to revolve around cybersecurity in today’s digital-first world. Protecting your virtual assets is certainly important, but this focus alone can lead to a fatal blind spot, the physical security of your people, place and tangible assets. It’s an important reminder that cloud infrastructure and data servers are computers, computers that can be stolen, messed with or destroyed when a facility is broken into. The truth is that physical security risks are more common than companies may assume. 60% of companies have experienced a breach in physical security over the past 5 years, and break-ins, theft vandalism are on the rise across industries. This guide will define what physical security is, its core components and how a contemporary physical security plan functions to safeguard American businesses and institutions.
What Is Physical Security? Defining the First Line of Defense
Physical security is a primary defense of an organization protecting people, property, and physical assets from potential threats in the real world. The physical security definition is an inter-disciplinary approach, whereby the efforts of physical security which are often seen as sharing in work practice of other disciplines, employing combination of physical security controls and systems, strategic approach, environmental design and VMS management, fire protection/ emergency response, law enforcement at including private security functions such as, executive protection or bodyguard, to deter potential intruders, prevent unauthorized access, and mitigate damage from theft, vandalism, espionage, or even natural disasters.
Its purpose extends beyond mere theft prevention. The strong physical security framework will help to secure sensitive information stored on-site, maintain business continuity, protect staff members’ safety and reputation. Cybersecurity locks up data in cyberspace, physical security protects the tangible world where data is stored and people work.
Recognising and Responding To Physical Threats To Security
A proactive position is developed with the knowledge of potential threats. Physical security threats come in a variety of forms, like internal and external, intentional or accidental.
- External Threats: This refers to potential intruders looking for unauthorized access to commit theft, damage or corporate espionage. This group also includes anything more general such as vandalism and the ever-present but unpredictable threat of natural disasters like floods or fires, which could threaten the structural integrity.
- Internal Risks: These are the risks that tend to be ignored, but can sprung up from the internal workers of a company. They may include employees, contractors or visitors abusing their access rights to commit theft of assets or information.
- Mitigating Physical Security Threats: The Best practices are not a one-time project but more of an ongoing process of evaluation, implementation and reviewing. It takes a multi-layered approach, we often refer to this as “defense in depth”, which includes delaying and detecting intrusions with physical security measures and coordinated incident response protocols, but also disrupt the capability for attackers to hurt our constituents even if they are able to gain access in other ways.
Physical Security Basics: Core Components And Types Of Physical Security
Best security is multi-faceted, defence in depth, with each layer of protection making the adversary’s task more difficult. These different types of physical security interact in combination to form a comprehensive barrier.
Perimeter Security: First Physical Barrier
This is the outermost layer, designed to establish a boundary and deter potential intruders. Perimeter security includes fencing, gates, bollards, and walls. The number and strength of types of security barriers utilized vary by the level of risk at each site, from simple chain-link fences to anti-ram vehicle barriers. This layer seeks to delineate the property line, discourage casual entry and channel person entering at control point.
Security Systems for the U.S: The Electronic Nervous System
On top of that, this layer combines technology for monitoring, detection and access control. Some of the main components of physical security controls and systems in this category are:
- Security Cameras (CCTV): Modern day security cameras allow for live viewing as well as forensic investigation. When paired with video analytics solutions they can be used to help spot suspicious loitering, unattended packages or else help track movement automatically for physical threat monitoring.
- Access Control Systems: Physical security and access control systems are responsible for controlling physical access. From the standard key to an electronic keycard, PIN pad and cutting-edge biometric authentication such as fingerprint or face recognition. Entry into zones is restricted to authorized personnel by access control systems that maintain logs of movement.
- IDS (Intrusion Detection Systems): They are part of the physical security systems. Motion sensors, glass-break detectors and door/window contacts establish an invisible net inside a building. If violated, they send an alarm to a security team, enabling a swift incident response.
Human Security: The Judgmental Layer
Technicians are still absolutely essential, despite technological progress. The security guards and dedicated security team act as a visible deterrent, patrol the hospital, respond to incidents, and use good judgment during complex situations technology cannot understand. It is their job to take charge of the contingency physical security plan in response to electronic security systems and crisis situations.
Procedural And Environmental Checks: The Policy Foundation
This is the layer of rules and design principles that underlie all technical means. Procedural controls includes policies to manage visitors, hold keys and incident response plans. A concept broadly applied to the environmental design of natural settings, from Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) articles. We can read that designing for it often involves careful use of elements such as lighting and seating, natural surveillance and reinforcing territoriality.
Implementing A Physical Security Plan: Step-by-Step Process
Strategy: Strategy development and execution is a deliberate process. This is how a strong physical security plan is developed and operationalised within the US.
Step 1: Complete an in-depth risk assessment at work
The foundation of any plan is a thorough analysis of physical security risks. That includes identifying valuable assets (such as people, data centers or inventory), considering potential threats (from local crime rates to disgruntled employees) and looking into the vulnerabilities built into the building and its operations.
Step 2: Design a Layered Security Plan
Develop a plan, based on your evaluation above, using the “defense in depth” concept. List what physical security measures are employed in each layer:
- Perimeter: What types of security barriers (fencing, gates and lighting) should there be?
- Access: What type of access control systems (card readers, biometric) will control entry?
- Surveillance: Where to install your surveillance cameras and intrusion detection systems for maximum security
- Staff: What is the role of the security team? Is there really a need for security guards, or is monitored response enough?
- Process: What is the process for reporting, incident response and auditing?
Step 3: Integrate Systems and Personnel
All the newest, best electronic security systems are great. that is unless it isn’t integrated. Security cameras, access control systems and intrusion alarms should be on the same platform where feasible, so that the security team can have a unified perspective. Educate employees about the technology and physical security plan in such a manner that they understand it well.
Step 4: Test, Monitor and Revise.
Physical security is not static. Test your alarm system and disaster response regularly. Leverage the physical threat monitoring solutions to spot trends and see what’s coming next. The plan ought to be a working document, updated annually, or after any major incident or change in the facility.
The Advantages of Robust Physical Security Framework
By incorporating comprehensive physical security, Return on Investment (ROI) is attainable well beyond the realm of simply reducing shrinkage.
- Protection of People and Critical Assets: The clear benefit is keeping people safe and company assets secure, from expensive machinery to servers crammed with sensitive information.
- Prevention of Crime: It’s well known that the more visible security measures there are such as cameras, fencing and patrols, the less likely to deter potential intruders that could attempt a break-in.
- Improved Regulatory Compliance: Obligations (finance, health care, defense) in your industry are under heavy regulation (think HIPAA, NIST and CMMC) that require certain physical security safeguards to protect data and facilities.
- Business Continuity Assurance: Physical security plan helps protect businesses from the risks associated with theft, sabotage and vandalism, which goes a long way toward pushing their operational resilience up and keeping revenue streaming in.
- Lawsuits And Insurance Rates Minimized: Showing an organized physical security plan can result in the reduction of your organization’s liability and a decrease in insurance by having a mature security team.
Future Trends: Evolving Physical Security In the Us
Technology convergence and innovation is changing the game truly making physical security systems smarter and more proactive.
- Converging with Cybersecurity: Where the line between the physical and digital gets fuzzy. Current access control systems are network-based and must be hardened against any cyber-attack. In the same way, intrusion detection systems can set off IT responses, such as shutting down a portion of a network if a breach is discovered in that area of a server room.
- Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics: AI is transforming physical threat monitoring. Today, AI analytics embedded in security cameras can detect an anomalous behavior (such as someone loitering around after hours, identify non-permitted objects or items and also deliver predictive analytics to analyze historical data that identifies where they are most likely to breach.
- Cloud Based Management and IoT: It is a trend for physical security systems to be remotely managed via cloud. The Internet of Things (IoT) means more sensors, not just smart locks, but also environmental monitors, and so on, all feeding more data to the security team.
- Contactless and Mobile-First Access: Driven by COVID, touchless access control systems that integrate mobile credentials (or some form of biometric/fingertip recognition), will increasingly set the new standard for security and ease.
Protect Your Real Life Security With Dragon Eye Security
Given the increasing use of improvised attacks, ad-hoc security counter-measures are a major handicap. Your organization needs a customized, end-to-end and intelligent physical security plan that is able to adapt to the threat landscape. Dragon Eye Security is a pioneer in the creation, execution, and control of full-scale physical security solutions for today’s American companies. From AI-enhanced video surveillance to state-of-the-art access control systems, we bring together the latest technology with strategic insight to form an airtight barrier around your most valuable assets.
Don’t leave the preservation of your physical safety to chance. Contact Dragon Eye Security today so we can provide you with an evidence based security risk assessment and show you how our multi-layered security products will keep your people, property and peace of mind safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the primary objective of physical security controls?
A: The primary purpose of physical security safeguards is to prevent unauthorized access, to organisations physical property, people and information. They provide an organized system to help reduce, deter, delay and respond to physical security threats in any facility or venue.
Q2: Where do access control systems fit into a physical security strategy?
Q: Access control systems are a core component of physical security controls, acting as the gatekeeper for physical access, allowing only certain people to gain entrance into particular areas such as server rooms or labs or executive suites. With everything from key cards to biometrics at their disposal, they also limit movement, establish audit trails and restrict access to sensitive areas to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive zones.
Q3: Surveillance cameras versus Intrusion detection systems. What is the difference?
A: Although they are two essential physical security systems, their roles are very different. Surveillance cameras are mainly for supervisory and recording visual evidence, assist in physical threat monitoring and evidence collection. Active alarm systems Active intruder detection systems (e.g. motion or door sensors) are alarms that are activated when it is believed a malicious intervention is already taking place, triggering an immediate incident response.
Q4: Why do we still need to have security guards if we already have sophisticated electronic system?
A: The most important human element is the security guards and the security team. Technology can sense a breach, but people evaluate the situation, decide on what to do, interact with other human beings and carry out multi-step incident response procedures. They act as a strong visual deterrent and help control situations where the human element is necessary to provide additional support when automated physical security measures are insufficient.
Q5: About how often should a physical security plan be re-evaluated?
A: A physical security plan should be reviewed on an annual basis as a minimum. But it also should be reviewed after a natural event, disaster or other significant change such as security breach or fixing-up or even enlarging facilities. Minor adjustments to the plan based on ongoing physical threat monitoring.
