Some may think that cybersecurity and physical security are two different worlds. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The smartest of buildings are those that keep cybersecurity and physical security in mind. And, hackers definitely don’t differentiate between these two realms.

Sixty-three of building professionals say that cybersecurity is of high importance; however, 40 percent of those same professionals believe their systems are only somewhat secure against cyber vulnerabilities.

Understanding cybersecurity and its relationship with physical security systems is the only way to make sure your buildings work smart and hard.

Good Cybersecurity Means Good Building Security 

Making your operations cyber-secure requires a lot of investment from a company. However, all that money will be wasted if your physical security operations are not under control. Do you have visual verification in place for your personnel entering the office? Which employees have access to the server rooms, and how is that access managed, verified and controlled? If you do not have concrete answers to these questions and ones similar, you might benefit from creating a security plan with your company’s security, facilities and IT team.

Know Thy Security Neighbor

Physical security integrators and IT organizations have a common goal: to protect an organization’s assets. Whether the assets are people, buildings, products, information or data, both integrators and IT professionals have a duty to protect. A disconnect can equal a lack of communication, which can create havoc in an organization. However, working together reduces cost and system downtime, meaning a system has a better chance of surviving an attack.

Working together can also save money. The GDP of cyber crime is supposed to hit $1.5 trillion alone —  making it the 13th largest economy in the world.

How to Prepare for Risks

There are many factors to note when determining risks in both cybersecurity and physical security. The first step is identifying threats, and determining why they are threats. Then, you can determine where certain physical security products — like mobile credentials or video management software — can aid in lowering risks. Additionally, having a list of all IP devices on hand, establishing standard operating procedures can help the incident response team. Overall, being proactive is most important, as waiting until a breach happens can be disastrous and costly.

What Makes a Physical Security Product Cyber-Secure?

In March 2021, a cloud-managed, edge-based security software was victim to a data breach that allowed hackers to gain access to 150,000 security cameras, using “super admin” credentials found publically on the internet. To determine whether a physical security manufacturer is providing good cybersecurity, look at how they build and deploy their products, and how they manage their people and internal procedures. Do you know what the integrator is installing on your network? If you’re gathering visitor management data, how are you protecting it? If you’re using physical security products where data is stored on the cloud, do you understand the potential consequences in terms of data privacy? Is the manufacturer using end-to-end encryption on their devices? Answering these questions can save a future headache.