How to Perform Physical Security Risk Assessment

Identify the risk factors

Identifying the potential physical security risks that may threaten your organization is the first step in a risk assessment. Consider factors such as the location and accessibility of your work space and the crime rate in that area. Do you have any security personnel guarding your premises? Could there be instances of unauthorized personnel entering your workspace? Any factor that could jeopardize your organization’s security should be mulled over.

Reevaluate your security policy

Your current security policy may have overlooked some critical risks to your organization’s physical security. How often are the locks checked? Are all the camera feeds regularly monitored? Is there a visitor sign-in logbook? Which areas of your premises have ID access? Does the security arrangement change drastically after work hours? Answer these questions as you reevaluate your current physical security policy

Conduct security audits

It is not enough to know that you have installed defense mechanisms to protect your organization from a physical security threat. The bigger question is: how well is your security policy followed? Are all your staff members and security personnel dedicated to the cause of your organization’s physical security?Are there instances of non-compliance and lack of accountability?Conducting regular security audits is an important step in risk assessment that will ensure that your physical security policies remain effective.

Check your storage media

Thefts may not be the only risk endangering your data. You must also maintain your storage devices in accordance with the vendors’ instructions. Are they protected from dust and water? Are they too close to a heating unit? Such questions must also be answered when performing a physical security risk assessment. As a rule, physically safeguard and backup all your storage devices to enhance security.