Physical Security

Physical security protects hardware, software and networks using physical methods: real-world barriers and checks rather than logins or software. A server, router or backup drive can only be stolen, unplugged or tampered with if someone can reach it, so physical security keeps people away from the equipment in the first place. CCTV and guards are only two of the methods — many others stop an intruder getting in at all.

Controlling who can reach the equipment

Locks on doors, cabinets and server racks mean only someone with the right key or code can open them. Fences, walls and gates mark the boundary of a site and slow intruders down. A turnstile lets one person through at a time, so nobody can slip in behind a member of staff, and a security guard can check visitors and refuse entry. ID cards show at a glance whether a person belongs in a restricted area.

Detecting and deterring intruders

CCTV records what happens, which deters some intruders and gives evidence afterwards. Intruder alarms sound when a door or window is forced. Movement sensors detect motion in an area that should be empty, such as a corridor after closing time. Security lighting keeps entrance doors, fire exits and the car park lit after dark so nobody can creep about unseen. A security tag fixed to a laptop sounds an alarm if the laptop is carried past a sensor near the door. Signs and warning posters tell visitors that cameras are running and which rooms they must not enter.

For example, a youth club keeps the laptop holding its membership records in a locked office. Staff enter through a door with a keypad, wear ID cards, and the office door has an intruder alarm. If the door is forced, the alarm alerts the manager, and the camera above the entrance shows who was there.