Security Megatrend: Cybersecurity’s Impact on Physical Security

In an age where security systems are increasingly open and more and more devices and sensors are connected, it’s more important than ever to understand and be able to mitigate cyber risk and data privacy concerns. Cybersecurity is top of mind for clients and prospects, who will ask you what you are doing to protect their companies, customer data and physical security information, what safeguards you use on the network and how your products are vetted for cyber resiliency.

Appropriately, then, cybersecurity’s impact on the physical security industry ranked first on the Security Industry Association’s 2019 Megatrends report, showcasing the major trends and forces at play in the global security industry. Here are some highlights.

New cybersecurity risks emerge daily, morphing with new threats. It’s the current landscape in which we live and will continue to test the physical security industry as we move to increasingly open environments, systems and connected devices propelled by the Internet of Things. It’s about your business, your customer’s business and vendors you do business with.

Cybersecurity is not a one-and-done deal; it’s a constant examination of possible threats and risk to your organization and everything your organization touches. At stake are potential loss of business continuity, internal and customer data, proprietary company information and the reputation of the business.

Cyber threats are big business – where information and access are extremely valuable. These attacks range from amateurs to fully-funded nation state teams with the sole purpose of obtaining access to their target organization o industry. Once they infiltrate, they gain information to attack physical access control systems or other enterprise components.

Common prescriptive advice related to cybersecurity of physical security solutions and systems includes the following:

• Eliminate default passwords in equipment and software
• Test and retest products internally and by an outside organization
• Establish a vulnerability tracking and reporting program
• Know your hardware’s software and firmware
• Create a security resource center for your integrators and customers
• Update your internal security awareness training program
• Include cybersecurity in the product development process
• Remember that an effective cyber program is an ongoing process

Get additional cybersecurity takeaways, along with information on the other 2019 Security Megatrends, in the full report.