Reports from Statista suggest that the cybersecurity market will see an annual growth rate of 5.94% from 2025 to 2030. This tells us it’s a market undergoing huge investment – and that’s reflected in the business’s approach to cybersecurity. Everyone’s eager to spend money on it as they see the devastating effects of cyber attacks.
Consequently, companies all over the world invest in the latest anti-virus software, ethical hacking, and all the other tech elements that form cybersecurity. But did you know that the secret to good cybersecurity starts in the real world? You can have as many digital barriers in place as you want, yet a lack of physical security will let you down.
Cyber Threats Stem From Physical Security Threats
You may think that all cyber threats happen online, yet that’s not the case. A lot of cyber threats stem from a lack of physical security on your premises. What this means is that you don’t have the correct security measures in place to stop some of these problems from happening:
- Someone breaking into your office and stealing hardware
- Employees taking important hardware out of the office
- Someone breaking into your building and gaining access to password data
There are myriad ways poor physical security can lead to a cyber threat manifesting. The first example is the most obvious: someone manages to enter your building and then steals a PC, or gets into your server room and takes a physical server. This gives them access to data, or they can easily break into the physical device and cause a cyber breach from there.
Employees have been mentioned, and their negligence could also cause security risks. What if they remove a work device to take home, but it gets stolen or lost on the bus journey to their house? Or, they could knowingly do this, as a lot of cyber attacks start from within an organisation.
The point remains: poor physical security leaves your business vulnerable to potential cyber threats.
The Solution: Combine Physical & Cyber Security Measures
You can’t run a successful business if you’re always dealing with cyber attacks and data breaches. Investing in cybersecurity only deals with half of the problem; you must combine this investment with upgrades to real-life security around your business.
Set up access control systems in your company to control who has access to what. One at the front of your building determines who actually walks in every day – anyone without access has to be approved by you beforehand, reducing the chances of criminals getting inside. Access controls inside your office can section off important areas, like server rooms, meaning only a handful of people have access.
This alone will do a fantastic job of deterring possible cyber threats that start in the physical world, though a CCTV system also assists with this. The presence of cameras will deter people from unsporting behaviour, and they’re really good at stopping your employees from committing cyber crimes.
The combination of physical and cyber security measures means you cover all bases. The physical security stops threats from manifesting in the real world while your cybersecurity plan prevents hackers, data theft, and the like. You’re in the best position to keep your company afloat and avoid dealing with cyber threats.
Train Your Team On Security Best Practices
Your employees are key to ensuring that your business remains secure. They require proper training in physical and digital security risks. Many cases of data breaches have been reported because employees were not aware of the procedures to be followed. Regular training helps people stay alert and aware of the impending dangers.
Train your employees to lock their computers upon getting up from their desks, and never share passwords with coworkers. Teach them the signs of a suspicious email and why they shouldn’t leave documents out on their desk overnight. Make security training part of the fabric of your organization instead of an afterthought. If your team knows what to look for, they become your first line of defense.
Create Clear Security Policies For Your Business
You cannot have security without your employees knowing the rules. You have to create clear, documented policies that are easily understandable and followed by all. These policies should cover everything from password requirements to visitor management and device usage outside the office.
You have to establish rules in a very simple and workable manner for everyday work. For example, you have to describe the actions that the employees have to take in case they find an open door or notice an unknown person in the building. This also includes the guidelines on taking work devices home and how to act in cases and equipment loss or theft. You have to communicate these policies to new workers as well as you have to train the old workers, in order to not face any problems in the future. When all people what what is expected from them, it’ll be easier to maintain security in the organization.
Conclusion
If you want to protect your business from cyber threats, you will need more security and attention. The real security starts with prospecting your physical space first. In order to prepare a protection system for your company, you need to combine everything, like cameras, locks, and access control over digital defenses. You can create a complete protection system for your company. Always remember that your employees are the key to all this working. You have to train them well, give them clear instructions, and make security part of your business culture.
For starters, it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive; you can begin with basic physical security measures and then from time to from you can expand. The bottom line is simple – the cyber criminals look for easy targets. So, ensuring that your business has everything you can know that the cyber criminals won’t attack you.
FAQs
Q1: Why is physical security important for cybersecurity?
Preventing physical theft of devices, servers, and passwords that might be readily accessible on-site helps secure an organization’s periphery and limit potential breaches.
Q2: What are basic physical security measures every business needs?
Managing check-in and check-out, CCTV, active servers rooms, access-controlled doors, and structured entry and exit points.
Q3: How can employees cause cybersecurity risks?
Employees leaving devices unattended, failing secure data, and even colluding with external threats are far bigger risks than any outsider.
Q4: How often should staff receive security training?
New hires should receive basic orientation and security training, which needs regular review or new security updates to stay current and relevant.
