Title: Physical Security
Course: 2016FA-MCO-110-401 > Section: Module 6: Safety and Security

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What is Physical Security?

“Physical security is defined as that part of security concerned with physical measures designed to safeguard personnel; to prevent unauthorized access to equipment, installations, material, and documents; and to safeguard against espionage, sabotage, damage, and theft” [1].

Keeping what you value safe can be challenging. Even if the bulk of what your business does takes place electronically, physical security is still important and should be an integral part of your organization.

Why It Is Important

Someone maliciously gaining access to your physical site or properties could result in threat to the lives of employees, damage or loss of equipment, data loss or loss of data integrity, or company specific information like trade secrets could be divulged. Intellectual property theft could result in both financial and physical harm. Threats are not only to physical equipment and data, but employees or customers could also be put in harm’s way.

Implementing Physical Security

One of the most important things for businesses to do when they desire to protect their valuable assets is to come up with a plan. To manage physical security the plan and the processes involved in providing the security are often labeled as a “Security Management System”. “A management system is an adopted model to plan, implement, measure, evaluate, and review an approach taken by an organization to achieve set commitments and objectives” [2].  The planning stage is necessary in order to know what needs protecting, what the actual targets would be, when implementing security.

Easily overlooked, yet very important, is the need for buy-in at all levels of the organization. If the administration treat physical security as an unimportant aspect of daily operations then eventually everyone else could too. A lack of commitment to security could ultimately result in budget cuts, underfunding, and lack of necessary personnel and equipment [2].

Here is a list of typical components that make up physical security:

- Guards
- Dogs
- CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)
- Card Readers
- Electronic ID Cards at Building Entrances and Doors
- Locks (Commercial/Heavy Duty Locks offer best security)
- Gates
- Lighting
- Bollards
- Turnstiles

[3] [4]

Challenges to Physical Security

Complacency

Over time, it is possible for employees (even security guards) to become complacent [1]. Daily routine and a familiarity with one’s job and surroundings can contribute to complacency. Complacency should be discouraged through training that takes advantage of the creativity of participants, organizational support/mentorship, and education that creates an awareness that complacency is common and can be a big problem [5].

People

The biggest threat to physical security is people who have legitimate access [1]. Often employees may not be trying to be malicious, but unintentionally are careless and pose risks. Employees have a tendency to leave passwords out in the open for all to see, or to choose obvious passwords. Sometimes employees unwittingly create a way in for someone who wants access to your facility. The loss of keys or key cards or simply allowing someone else to follow closely behind them as they enter a building are ways that employees can be used against security measures. Social engineering can also take advantage of employees by playing on a person’s desire to be liked or to help people. Training and awareness can go a long way to prevent personnel from being used to circumvent security measures. Security policy that includes rules on passwords, access, and procedure is a good way to help address these threats.

Sometimes it may be a lack of people that challenges physical security. In a bad economy sometimes companies downsize and this can have a negative effect on security. Lack of personnel/manpower due to budget cutbacks and limitations can make it difficult to make sure that a facility is properly guarded and that the necessary surveillance, system audits, and improvements are made. [1]

Threats to Physical Security

Naturally occurring threats: floods, fire, earthquakes, hurricanes, storms, and other natural events [4].

Man-made threats: theft, vandalism, destruction [4].

Equipment Failure: The failure of access control components such as door locks and other physical controls should be considered.

Power Anomalies: Lack of power can affect many things like HVAC, locks, alarm systems, SCADA systems, etc.

Objectives met:
- C6
- 6.10
- 6.11