Ensuring physical security

 

There are number of physical security threats faced by an organisation. Thieves and threat actors might break in and steal the IT equipment, plug in their devices, cut off company’s cables or connect to a company network with their device. Measures exist to protect the IT equipment and company data from physical access. It is recommended to lock the rooms where the IT equipment is stored and particular attention should be paid to the server room. A smart card, a swipe card system or a biometric identification system should be considered as this would allow to monitor the behaviour of each user. With the above implemented, any suspicious behaviour could be swiftly investigated. It is also advisable to install CCTV cameras monitoring who has entered the IT equipment room and who is in it an any given time. That is because smart cards can stop working or tailgating technique could be used. To prevent break-ins, alarms should be installed that will alert security when a door or a window has been forced open. It is also a good idea to have the alarms connected to a security company that will arrive at the scene if an alarm went off. To prevent cables being cut off by threat actors, it is recommended they be protected with additional layers such as woven wire mesh. Additionally, portable devices could be secured in a locked cabinet when they are not in use. To prevent unauthorised users from connecting to the company network, an 802.1X protocol should be used to authenticate Wi-Fi connections. To prevent unauthorised cable connections, switch and router ports that are not in use should be administratively disabled.

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