What Is Considered The Physical Security Field?

Security is crucial to every individual, but knowing where to get started in this field can be confusing. 

 

The field of physical security is responsible for the measures to safeguard anything valuable to you. It includes the protection of personnel, software, hardware, data, and networks through physical action. It also protects from events that can cause any loss or damage, e.g., fire, burglary, flood, vandalism, terrorism, etc. 

The Main Components Of Physical Security 

The three most important components of a physical security system are: 

1. Access Control

Access control is a measure that limits the exposure of assets to authorized personnel only. Examples of these include walls, doors, gates, ID badges, keypad locks, security guards, etc. More sophisticated access control involves a technology-supported solution. These include advanced locks, access control cards, biometric authentication, mobile phones, etc. 

2. Surveillance

Surveillance is an important physical security component as it is helpful in both prevention and post-incident recovery. Examples include guards, notification systems, heat sensors, etc. However, the most commonly used surveillance measure is closed-circuit television (CCTV). The benefit of these surveillance cameras is that they capture everything and provide visual evidence. 

3. Security Testing

Testing is an extremely important step, both on a technological and human level. You should test your ability to cope up with internal and external threats. This component also helps you in identifying and improving the weak points in your physical security plan. 

 

All three components should work together to provide the tightest security. 

 

Physical security can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be with the right planning and measures. You can read more articles on the physical security field at Security Forward.