Common Threats to Your Physical Security and Assessing Your Risk Level
Fact: The leading cause of security breaches, accounting for 88% if incidents, is human error according to a study on physical security vulnerabilities by Stanford University.
In this blog we'll be tackling the often overlooked, yet critical to do, assessment of risk level and the common threats to physical security in a commercial setting, such as a business, an office, a warehouse, a lab, a hospital, etc.
Physical security measures are an integral part of any business. They can help you protect your building or workplace from physical intrusion, theft and other crimes by implementing the right tools in place to detect them before they have a chance at disrupting business operations long term.
In order to ensure the safety of your employees and visitors, it is important that you have a baseline security plan in place. To identify potential risk areas, first consider all possible entry points with proper access control measures at each point so as not allow anyone unauthorized into facility where they can do harm or cause inconveniences for others working there. Wherever people can enter and exit easily will be an area that poses a security risk for you to manage. Baseline physical security control procedures, such as proper access from key locations, helps establish who is coming through these doors every day.
Once you’ve secured your facility, it is important to take a look at how data or sensitive information within the office might be compromised. Asking questions such as, "Do we have server rooms that need added protection?" and "Are desktop computers locked down when everyone leaves for the day, as well as all laptops brought in by workers each evening before they go home?" Even USB drives are potential threats if an employee has been coerced into turning them over—plus there's always criminal activity from outside sources trying break-in, meaning security plans should mitigate these risks accordingly.
TOP 5 MOST COMMON RISKS TO PHYSICAL SECURITY
As you are assessing your security risk, take note of the top 5 most common threats to physical security and be sure to add these to your list of items to check off as you go. You would ask, does my current security system integration protect this location or notify this location adequately for the following:
1. Theft and Burglary - What are the deterrent, detection, and reporting capabilities of the system?
2. Vandalism - How does the system detect, notify, and report on this type of activity?
3. Natural Disasters - Does the system have notification capabilities for severe weather events and announcement and siren capabilities in case of emergencies?
4. Terrorism or Sabotage - Will the system enable emergency lockdown to protect employees and visitors in an emergency situation?
5. Violence in the Workplace - How does the system record and analyze human activity as well as alert to violent behaviors after detection?
If your system itself is not equipped to detect and notify on any of the above events, do you have policies in place that do address them and adequate procedures? Is your organization committed to establishing a budget to ensure that you have up to date security and access control technology to protect both human and physical assets?
All of the above are considered outside risks. However, as we mentioned earlier approximately 88% of security problems stem from human error, largely accounting for internal risks to your physical security. Knowing your outside risks and mitigating them is half the battle.
TOP 5 FACTORS LEADING TO INTERNAL SECURITY RISK
1. Employees sharing their access control credentials with others. This includes sharing passwords, lending door keycards and keyfobs, letting someone else use their mobile pass, etc.
2. Accidental sharing or release of confidential data or information.
3. Tailgating incidents with unauthorized individuals, such as in secure garages or through gates, following closely through security turnstiles, and entering quickly behind someone through an access controlled door.
4. Slow and lacking response to security warnings and incidents. This could be due to improperly trained staff, motivation and job satisfaction issues, poor hiring, lack of resources or being understaffed, contradictory policies that prevent security personnel from taking action, or budgetary constraints.
5. An authentication process that is too easily hacked. For instance, laziness with passwords, lack of two-factor authentication, or not changing the manufacturer default password after installation.
When you choose GenX Security as your integrator, you'll know the difference immediately. Our Sales Director, Spencer Mehr, is not only very tech savvy but is highly trained in security assessments. For each commercial inquiry we ensure your property is given a very thorough walk-through where we identify your security vulnerabilities and create a custom plan to tackle them with your requirements. This way you'll know not only what we recommend but WHY. Our quotes are fast, fair, and always FREE. We look forward to getting to know your unique security needs.
Spencer can be reached in the following three ways:
(1) By phone: (866) 598-4369
(2) By email: spencer@genXsecurity.com
(3) Through our online contact form at the bottom of every page of our website: www.genXsecurity.com/contact
