RecFaces: interconnectivity between physical security and IT departments

Digital transformation has forced companies to rethink the way they work, where collaboration between IT and security departments is essential, as María Kazhuro explains, Business Development Manager at RecFaces LATAM.

The protocols of physical security Implemented for Ground Safety, incident detection, Access monitoring and general surveillance of physical assets are only one part of the security framework.

The IT department Protect critical digital information, hardware and software resources and controls networked assets. However, Most organizations do not address the convergence of both areas, leading to operational failures, risks of physical and monetary losses with long-term consequences for productivity.

A Robust infrastructure for physical and information security is essential to the operation of any business, in particular industrial installations. Are these departments connected?? Can they have one and not the other? Does this convergence benefit business efficiency??

Physical security for business resilience

The physical security contingent essentially protects physical assets, The workforce and business facilities. This includes access point monitoring; Tracking and responding to security threats, video surveillance of the site and ground protection and controls.

Security breaches are a major obstacle to the growth of any organization. According to the Global Security Report 2023, Physical security incidents cost companies more than 1 trillion dollars in revenue in the previous year.

Physical assets in heavy manufacturing industries are highly vulnerable to internal and external security threats, such as unauthorized access to critical assets, Theft and intrusions.

In addition, Such threats are capable of creating a sense of insecurity among the workforce and can cause turmoil, Strikes and unrest among employees. The physical security department operates day and night to identify and address potential security issues and address weaknesses.

As technology advances, the Internet of Things (We) Allows you to connect physical assets in a digital network. That's where IT and security come into play.

Workplace and IT protection

Information technology security focuses on the protection of Business Data Confidential, Access to core equipment, as well as the prevention of human error and attacks on malware.

Beyond this, is crucial for identifying security vulnerabilities, Detect incidents and take corrective action to mitigate physical and monetary losses.

The misuse of company resources or data is one of the Security breaches that increase innate risks to industrial operations. IT department uses Smart Solutions as a firewall, Authentications, Multimodal security techniques and software against malware to face such adversities.

However, The challenges posed by the growing footprint of physical resources in virtual networks require a more agile approach to safeguarding critical assets.

Addressing operational gaps

Constant technological advancements and digital transformation have forced businesses to rethink their security infrastructure and way of working. For example, Entering an office for the first time. From physical security protocols to automated access management, It is becoming increasingly difficult to separate the functions of the two departments.

Asset Invasion: smart office environments are equipped with IP-enabled machines and operate on integrated networks. Access to critical data and business information can be gained through the invasion of physical assets, such as server rooms and restricted areas.

Restricted access to biometric security: Attacks on video surveillance systems and camera injections are common in thefts of physical and digital assets. Not only this, Violation of the biometric access system by breaking the distance and identity theft to gain access to restricted areas can cause significant loss of property and information.

Vulnerability to risks: according to the Global Security Report 2023, The 90% of security chiefs find information technology threats that compromise physical security systems, Challenging operations. The risks, directly or indirectly, make the business vulnerable to currency risks, Human, of reputation, Operational and Financial.

A blow to operational efficiency: the inevitable interdependence of physical security and IT departments deflects the root cause of security incidents, disrupting operational flow and productivity in business units as employees begin to lose confidence in security.

As a result, Industry competitors take advantage of such weaknesses, damaging business reputation, and, potentially, Stealing resources. To ensure asset security, the workforce and the business environment, The integration of these departments becomes essential.

Structure and convergence

In industries such as healthcare and manufacturing, Workforce productivity meets your security. That's why, The union of these departments in the company is essential to avoid losses due to security breaches and data leaks. Integrating your processes helps protect them and mitigate costs.

The starting point for creating a unified infrastructure is the convergence of physical security and IT departments to share responsibilities.

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and the safety of the installation (PFSO) They must work together to detect threats and address gaps, with the common goal of preventing any detrimental impact on overall efficiency.

Detection protocols

Integrating the capabilities of physical and IT security systems builds a powerful threat detection and response protocol. Incident response is capable of making or breaking a security system.

For all these reasons., Measure and monitor potential risks, designing a robust response plan and recovery program are key to strengthening overall security.

An effective security system works like a digital fence and sends immediate threat alerts. Investing in solutions that can be easily integrated into video surveillance, help automate access control, Detect violations and speed up alerting.

Risk assessment

In essence, risk assessment tasks should not be divided for physical security or IT processes. It is important to review methods for assessing the various security risks in a way that measures their impact on operations. However, Safety metrics and risk reduction are significant in protecting against incidental costs.

Organizations cannot afford to incur losses from inefficient security configurations, And that's why both departments need to work together to increase productivity. Convergence is critical to cost savings, improve infrastructure and grow systematically.

Maria Kazhuro

LATAM Business Development Manager at RecFaces

 

 

 

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