As lawmakers and law enforcement continue to unravel the events and impact of the crisis at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6th, attention is turning to identification and prosecution of those that illegally entered, attacked, and looted the Capitol and the offices of the legislature housed there. We’re learning more about the litany of security failings and it is imperative that we take the lessons offered by this example and make the changes they demand now, at our state capitol buildings, as well as in our businesses.
The same group that breached the offices in our nation’s capital are now in their home states across the country, where according to the FBI they are promising to attempt similar attacks at their state capitols. While most organizations would never consider themselves to plausibly be at risk of a large, overwhelming, physically penetrating attack, there are many lessons to be learned from this incident that can benefit all organizations and we can hold this event up as an example that even in offices with what most would consider the absolute top echelon of security, common vulnerabilities and bad practices can be found. The following are a few things that those protecting our government, and even those that seek to protect their own organizations, could learn from the events of January 6th.