Comprehensive Approach to Physical Security – From Burglary to Cyber Threats
John Ringis National Director Physical Security Global Enterprise (GE).
Phil Yoast ,VP Security, Global Digital Transformation.
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Physical Security to protect business infrastructure, people, and digital assets is quickly adopting modern technologies such as IoT-powered devices, AI-driven security systems, and drones. While technology has changed the scope of conventional physical security practices, it has played a significant role in protecting these assets in the new age with a fast-growing threat of cyberattacks.
As per a global survey conducted by Markets and Markets, the physical security market was $110.3 billion in 2023. It is projected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.4%, to reach $136.9 billion by 2028.
The Need for a Comprehensive Physical Security Strategy
It is crucial to look at physical security comprehensively or holistically. Such an approach helps ensure that all aspects of security are being considered and addressed efficiently and effectively. This enables organizations to better understand and address overall security risks, comply with regulations, adapt to evolving threats, and ultimately create a safer and more secure environment for all stakeholders.
A poor strategy or an impaired implementation will have profound ramifications on your brand reputation, which critically affects your business operations and market value, apart from eroding the trust of your customers.
How Do Physical Security and Cyber Security Threats Go Together?
Cyberattacks compromise your business network and data and can also target your physical security systems. Therefore, we need to focus on building robust systems with modern technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, and Predictive Analysis, which discover potential vulnerabilities and loopholes in the system and provide ways to pre-emptively mitigate the risks.
The convergence of physical Security and cybersecurity represents a shift in how organizations approach security management. There is an inherent need to break down the conventional silos between traditional security disciplines and adopt a more integrated and proactive approach to Security. This way, organizations can better protect their assets, people, and information in an increasingly complex and interconnected threat landscape.
What Should an Organization do to Mitigate These Types of Cyber Risks?
You need a well-qualified security team to constantly learn innovative models of threat detection and mitigation and bring your operations back to normal with a faster turnaround time. Otherwise, you can consider outsourcing your physical security requirements to an experienced service provider such as New Era Technology, which offers custom solutions that suit your diverse requirements.
Organizations need to ensure that their security program covers more than cyber or physical security. CISOs are being tasked with securing the entire enterprise, and that requires a complete approach to all aspects of the organization. A comprehensive security program, aligned with an industry-standard framework, helps guide and direct organizations in securing their physical and cyber assets and environments.
AI can help detect anomalies in the network and access layers, which are where physical security devices live. Utilizing industry-leading tools powered by AI to identify and respond to these threats allows organizations to maintain security operations at the scale needed to adopt these physical security solutions.
Common Cyberthreats that Organizations Face
Unauthorized access to security systems
Managing identities and access is a top priority for any organization. Managing access to devices that are responsible for an organization’s physical security devices is no exception and is of paramount importance.
Malware attacks
Malware attacks and the exploitation of IoT devices go hand in hand. The most common type of attack against these devices involves malware. Commanding and controlling a device with an IP address allows malicious attackers to create botnets to disrupt and seek to elevate access to environments.
Data Breaches
Data breaches must start somewhere, often from accessing vulnerable points in the network, SQL injection, and phishing, among other things. They lead to the misuse of confidential operational, transactional, and customer data and will severely impact your operations and brand value. It’s essential to use advanced firewalls, encryption techniques, two-factor authentication, and constant updates, to name a few.
Exploitation of IoT Devices
Often, IoT devices or unmanaged devices are the first point of entry on the network, as software resources are highly secure and difficult to hack. However, IoT devices are prone to malicious cyberattacks as their security is physically vulnerable.
Hackers can copy confidential data, use the connectivity to access the entire network by resetting settings, and add malicious code sent to the destination server to gain access to your core operational data. This can be the starting point of a ransomware attack, which damages your operations, the stolen data sold in grey markets, or asking for a heavy ransom to unlock your network.
How can New Era Help Support an Organization in These Efforts?
As Cyber and Physical Security continue to merge, New Era Technology is poised to provide customers with a comprehensive solution. Leveraging our deep expertise and extensive experience in IT Networking, Physical Security and Cybersecurity, we collaborate closely with clients to design robust and secure IT and physical security networks. Whether it’s network design, installation, or ongoing support, we’ve covered every security aspect.
At New Era, we seek to partner with organizations to provide complete solutions and an approach to solving business challenges with technology. Security is no different—you need a security partner to help validate your efforts and provide guidance when and where necessary. New Era is a security company with proven expertise and incredible resources to provide these types of security services for customers. Contact us to know more.
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