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Homework answers / question archive / Physical security is often a second priority in an information security program
Physical security is often a second priority in an information security program. Since physical security has technical and administrative elements, it often takes a backseat to the security of data and other information technology assets.
Protecting important data, confidential information, networks, software, equipment, facilities, company's assets, and personnel is what physical security is about. There are two major types of physical security issues: natural and man-made. Natural physical security issues include floods, fire, power fluctuations, severe weather, war, etc., which can cause a permanent loss of data. Man-made physical security issues are typically some form of an attack by a malicious party, which includes terrorism, vandalism, and theft. These events affect the entire organization.
Identify two physical security threats (one of each type), their potential damage and its impact on the organization, and the countermeasures you'd install or implement to mitigate their disruptions.
Answer:
Theft and Burglary
Theft and burglary being two of the major sorts of risks to physical security which are easy to guard from. People may break in and have access to physical systems or other information or even if not a break in, a visitor may grab some documents lying around having sensitive information.
Fire
This is a natural physical threat. Unlike theft, where the information is lost to intruders and possibly corrupt competitors, fire may lead to destruction of both infrastructure and the information in it and sometimes loss of life's both non-technical and experts may be lost due to fire some of which may have taken the organization years and millions to train.
Explanation
Theft and Burglary
Theft and burglary being two of the major sorts of risks to physical security which are easy to guard from. People may break in and have access to physical systems or other information or even if not a break in, a visitor may grab some documents lying around having sensitive information.
Theft may lead to loss of important information or exposure of the systems architecture which may lead to other loads of risks. Theft of documents and many information or even computing tools may have a lasting drawback on the organizations progress and to some extent scare clients who may feel that the company is not able to protect their secrets and documents.
Take enough time to put down proper security procedures to prevent robbery and theft. It will contribute to greater overall security and moreover make it difficult to circumvent any physical access from the security protocols (Njoroge, Wambiri, & Ogeta, 2015). Watch every point of entry and exit closely. Evaluate the safety measures and improve the locking to better safety locks if necessary. To transform the way organization track activities, use surveillance equipment and sensors at these susceptible areas.
Fire
This is a natural physical threat. Unlike theft, where the information is lost to intruders and possibly corrupt competitors, fire may lead to destruction of both infrastructure and the information in it and sometimes loss of life's both non-technical and experts may be lost due to fire some of which may have taken the organization years and millions to train. Data and information in company servers and premises may be irreplaceable even if there was a backup It would take the organization some time to get back up and running hence it is important to work hard enough on the preventive measures for occurrence of a fire incident.
The normally high utilization of electric equipment within those areas can raise the chance of a fire erupting up. Although electrical fault has been the primary factor in network infrastructure and IT spaces, there are several other dangers and consequences that come from managing a computing facility (Jensen & Nygaard, 2013). More potent than any kind of fire defense equipment is fire mitigation. You might not have to employ the fire suppression as well as evacuation strategies if you do have processes in place which remove any unintended fire danger.
For prevention, avoid storing any high flammable substances within the offices, constantly inspecting the power lines, switches and cords and keep computers neat enough to avoid short circuiting and keep employees informed on fire suppression measures.
References
Njoroge, R. W., Wambiri, D. M., & Ogeta, N. (2015, May). Physical security measures for computer-based information systems: A case study of selected academic libraries in Kenya. In 2015 IST-Africa Conference (pp. 1-8). IEEE.
Jensen, G., & Nygaard, S. (2013). Fire Prevention Requirements for ICT rooms. Best Practice Document. UNINETT Led Working Group on physical infrastructure.
