We write a lot of blogs about how you can protect your network and data infrastructure from cybersecurity threats, but it’s equally important that you take time to assess and address issues related to your physical security infrastructure. Today’s blog will be dedicated to what goes into a successful physical security strategy and how you can ensure that you’re protecting your business’ assets in the best way possible.
What is Physical Security?
You can think of physical security as any measure designed to protect the physical assets of your business, including personnel, property, hardware, and so on. We do tend to cover some aspects of physical security when we discuss disaster recovery and business continuity, but for the most part, physical security can be considered synonymous with security control for your physical office environment. This can include tools like security cameras, patrol guards, access control tools, and so on, all designed to help control the security of your company’s physical space.
What Goes Into an Effective Physical Security Strategy?
You can think of a physical security system having three major components: access control, surveillance, and testing.
Access Control
In order to protect your physical environment, you need to be able to control who has access to what. You probably already utilize access control to some extent through the use of lock-and-key access to certain parts of your office; for example, not everyone needs access to the server room or records room. More sophisticated methods can be more effective at protecting your assets, though, including key card readers, security guards, keypad entry points, and so on.
Surveillance
Another important part of physical security systems involves the use of surveillance technologies to ensure that your access points are effective at keeping out unauthorized entry. This might include security cameras, heat sensors, notification systems, and so on. Essentially, you want a system that can detect abnormal activity and inform you of it in a timely manner. For example, if something occurs in your server room, you’ll need to know who went in and when. Similarly, if there is a theft or burglary, you’ll have a greater chance of catching the culprit if you have cameras and other types of access control in place.
Testing
Like any good preventative measure, physical security is only as good as the testing behind it. In order to ensure that your measures are effective, you should routinely test and update your approach according to what goes well and what does not. It’s just as important as protecting your digital assets; you won’t know what works to prevent hackers or thieves if you don’t regularly assess your practices.
Get Started Today
Did you know that Nexela can not only help you secure your company’s digital assets, but also its physical assets as well? We have the technology and tools to help you implement a solid physical security strategy that takes into account the many moving parts of your business. To learn more about how we can help you implement physical security solutions, reach out to us at (215) 525-3223.