Security is a multi-faceted concept, often compared to a chain. And like any chain, it is only as strong as its weakest link.
Every system, particularly security systems – no matter how comprehensive – has its vulnerabilities. Understanding these weak spots is pivotal in crafting a more robust defense strategy. Equipped with insights into where potential breaches may occur, both you and a quality security vendor can collaborate to develop a tighter, more cohesive game plan.
The Doorway to Insecurity
One of the most fundamental yet often overlooked weak points in security is the humble door.
Doors, whether providing entrance to our homes, offices, or other facilities, often stand as the first line of defense against unauthorized entry. But they can also become easy targets for several reasons:
- Accessibility: By design, doors provide access, making them a natural point of contact for anyone trying to enter a facility – authorized or otherwise.
- Quality: Not all doors are created equal. Some are sturdy and fortified, while others can be easily breached with simple tools or savvy techniques.
- Maintenance: Over time, doors and their locking mechanisms can wear down or sustain damage, becoming easier to compromise.
- Human Error: Forgetting to lock up, leaving doors propped open, or not checking the credentials of the person knocking – all of these mistakes and more make the door an all-too-easy target. Human oversights associated with doorways are perhaps their biggest flaw.
A leading security vendor can help you mitigate entryway errors, giving you a better start to your overall security layout.
- Better materials: Talk to your vendor about installing solid core doors or those made of metal and/or sturdier materials. Hollow metal doors and door frames are regularly used for government, factory, and commercial properties thanks to their relative ease of installation and an uncanny ability to take a beating.
- Advanced access control: Cloud-based access control systems from Secom allow administrators to manage one door or 1,000 using any Internet-connected device. Arm doors at any office whether you’re across the street or the country, and grant authorizations with just a few quick clicks. Secom can seamlessly integrate cloud-based systems with other safeguards, such as smart thermostats, alarm systems, and much more.
- High-quality locks: Deadbolt locks, especially those that are ANSI Grade 1, offer heightened security.
- Surveillance: Positioning security cameras to monitor entrance points can deter potential intruders.
- Upkeep: Regularly check and maintain doors and locks to ensure they function properly.
Expanding the Scope of Your Security Measures
While fortifying your entryways is an important first step toward boosting defenses, many additional weak points remain in the realm of physical security:
- Poorly lit areas: Shadows and darkness can hide malicious intent.
- Lack of surveillance: Without the watchful eye of today’s technology, your business is susceptible to intrusion.
- Ineffective security personnel: An untrained or inattentive guard may as well be a mannequin.
- Outdated or broken equipment: Security measures are only as good as their functionality, which includes continuous updates for today’s digital safeguards.
- Lack of access control: If everyone can get in without checks and balances, is it even security? A top-tier access control system is a hallmark of every successful security plan.
- Uneducated employees: Security is everyone’s job. Ignorance or indifference can lead to lapses, breaches, theft, and more. Prioritizing training for your team is part and parcel with an exemplary defense strategy.
- Absence of security audits: Without testing defenses, how will you ever know they work? Talk to a reputable security vendor about scheduling a vulnerability site assessment.
- Exposed infrastructure: If it’s crucial, it shouldn’t be open to the public or easy to access.
- Perimeter defenses: A good barricade and/or fence makes a facility far more secure.
Did you notice? A common thread runs through many of these points: the human element.
Are We the Real Weak Point?
Arguably, the most significant vulnerability in any security strategy lies not in technology or physical barriers, but in people. Many security breaches are a direct result of a lack of proper training and a general unawareness of security protocols among staff.
As mentioned, educating teams on the importance of security, common threats, and appropriate reactions can drastically reduce risks. A properly trained employee is perhaps one of your business’s most integral lines of defense. Regular security drills, seminars, and training sessions can keep security top-of-mind for employees, ensuring they act as an active part of the security chain, rather than its weakest link.
While doors, access control, surveillance, and so many other physical security components play a crucial role in keeping your facility safe, it is the human element that often determines the success of a security strategy.
Investing in quality infrastructure is essential, but equally vital is ensuring that every team member understands their role in safeguarding the premises. A multi-tiered security approach fortified by informed and alert humans can create a robust defense against most threats. Talk to Secom today to learn more.