Cybersecurity Includes Physical Security
When many people think of Cybersecurity professionals they often think about the technical aspect of the job. They do not always realize that we are also trained in physical security. Preventing unauthorized access is a crucial part of our job. It does not matter if this unauthorized access is to a computer system or to a facility. It is also part of our responsibility to look out for the safety of individuals that work for the organizations consult for. This blog will be the first in a series of posts that relate to various components to physical security that fall within the realm of Cybersecurity.
Physical Access – Deterrence
Preventing unauthorized access to a facility is something that all Cybersecurity professionals should be aware of. The first step to securing an organization’s physical location is deterrence. Make sure that anyone thinking about breaking in will immediately know that it will not be easy. We can accomplish this task by utilizing a defense in depth approach.
Defense in depth basically means that use multiple methods to protect your facility. For example, you may place a fence around your property. This is a great start but if a criminal knows that they only need to climb a fence to gain access it will not be all that effective. That is why you follow it up with a second form of protection. This may come in the form of lighting, locks, security guards or an alarm system. This adds a layer of complexity to getting in which may be just enough to deter someone from breaking in.
The recommended height for a fence used for security purposes is eight feet. If you wanted to create even more of a deterrence you could add barbed wire at the top. This will definitely make an intruder think twice about climbing your fence.
Lighting is also an effective way to deter crime because it makes it easier to see someone that may be trying to break in. This is why I always encourage residents in my neighborhood to call into the electric company and report streetlight outages. This is typically as easy as taking down the number on the pole itself and calling it in.
Camera systems are becoming much more affordable. In order to act as a deterrent you want the bad guys to know that you do in fact have cameras monitoring your property. Cameras are usually looked at after a break-in has occurred but many modern day cameras can be configured to send you alerts if they detect motion. Some facilities have security guards that monitor cameras as well. In these instances you may be able to catch someone in the act.
Security guards are also a great, but expensive way to deter someone from attempting to break into your facility. Before hiring a security guard, ensure that you run a thorough background check. Many threats come from within an organization. It is important to know who is working for you.
These are a few ways to deter someone from attempting to break-into your place of business or home. In my next blog post I will touch on various methods for securing your facility using locks.
Thanks for reading!
