Why CIOs are paying closer attention to physical security

For years, physical security sat outside most technology discussions.

CCTV, access controls and alarms were typically managed by facilities or security teams, purchased independently from the wider IT estate and reviewed only when equipment reached the end of its life.

That separation no longer reflects how organizations operate.

Modern physical security systems run on cloud platforms, connect with enterprise networks, generate vast amounts of operational data and increasingly rely on artificial intelligence to help people find information faster and respond more effectively.

They have become part of the technology ecosystem that organizations depend on every day, bringing them firmly onto the CIO's agenda.

Physical security is fast becoming another connected enterprise platform for businesses, and technology leaders have a growing role in deciding how these systems are deployed, integrated and governed.

Physical and cyber security are becoming inseparable One of the biggest changes for physical security is that organizations can no longer treat physical and cyber security as separate risks.

Security incidents increasingly span both worlds.

A compromised badge, an unsecured entrance or unauthorized access to a building can quickly become a cybersecurity incident if attackers gain access to corporate devices or networks.

Likewise, cyber attacks can disable physical security infrastructure, affecting everything from access control to video surveillance.

Red team exercises regularly demonstrate how closely these risks are linked.

In one example, a team posing as contract cleaners entered an office building, connected to the corporate network and remained inside for hours before being challenged.

From a cybersecurity perspective, every firewall and endpoint protection system was functioning exactly as intended.

The weakness was physical access.