Who Should be Held Responsible Protecting Physical Security Systems…

By Enterprise Security Magazine | Wednesday, March 10, 2021

The debate continues about who is responsible for protecting the physical security systems from cyber threats since the majority of the new physical devices are connected to a network.

Fremont, CA: Physical security systems are nowadays dependent on IT and extremely vulnerable to attacks. In 2016, the BSIA warned of the threats and recommended that end-users of IP connected CCTV systems should ensure they have extensive cybersecurity policies in place. In 2019, a Norwegian brand has to spend £45 million for restoring its systems, and factory machinery, after it was attacked by ransomware criminals. In 2019, the BBC series The Capture showed how CCTV could be hacked to convince police and security that a potential suspect was guilty by adjusting time-frames in the systems.

Who should be held responsible for this?

Should it be the owner of the systems? For some folks, this is clearly the physical security lead, since they or their predecessors purchased or recommended it.  Or is it the head of IT who…