Components of Physical Security
Components of Physical Security
Steven Looney
Student ID: 4168626
SCMT397 Physical Security
Professor Robert D Baker
October 25, 2011
Components of Physical Security
In physical security, there is no one measure that can fulfill all security needs for any one facility. Therefore, security measures must be designed in layers. According to Lawrence Fennelly “physical security is the most fundamental aspect of protection, it is the use of physical controls to protect the premises, site, facility, building, or other physical asset” (2004). The many components or layers of security measures are what make up good physical security. The assets being protected and the nature of the threat to the asset will dictate the amount of physical security used to protect it “for any security countermeasure to be effective, the threat has to be clear.”(Pepper 2010) Whether you are protecting warehouse goods or special nuclear material, layering security controls is the key to good physical security and protecting the asset. The outer perimeter for a facility or business will depend on where it is located and the type of facility it is. For an office, building in a downtown environment the outer perimeter would be the outer wall of the building. If the facility is more spread out, for example, a chemical production plant, the outer perimeter is usually marked with a wall or fence on the property line, but the outer perimeter could also be a natural barrier as well, like a lake or river. Fences are the most common type of barrier used today. Fences can vary in size and how they are used, which in return affect the effectiveness and level of protection. A fence can be used in many different ways. It can be used as a barrier to restrict access to an area, and keep unauthorized persons out, or it could be used merely as a delay barrier design to slow an attacker or adversary down allowing responding security force members time to take actions to defend the facility.
Being
Steven Looney
Student ID: 4168626
SCMT397 Physical Security
Professor Robert D Baker
October 25, 2011
Components of Physical Security
In physical security, there is no one measure that can fulfill all security needs for any one facility. Therefore, security measures must be designed in layers. According to Lawrence Fennelly “physical security is the most fundamental aspect of protection, it is the use of physical controls to protect the premises, site, facility, building, or other physical asset” (2004). The many components or layers of security measures are what make up good physical security. The assets being protected and the nature of the threat to the asset will dictate the amount of physical security used to protect it “for any security countermeasure to be effective, the threat has to be clear.”(Pepper 2010) Whether you are protecting warehouse goods or special nuclear material, layering security controls is the key to good physical security and protecting the asset. The outer perimeter for a facility or business will depend on where it is located and the type of facility it is. For an office, building in a downtown environment the outer perimeter would be the outer wall of the building. If the facility is more spread out, for example, a chemical production plant, the outer perimeter is usually marked with a wall or fence on the property line, but the outer perimeter could also be a natural barrier as well, like a lake or river. Fences are the most common type of barrier used today. Fences can vary in size and how they are used, which in return affect the effectiveness and level of protection. A fence can be used in many different ways. It can be used as a barrier to restrict access to an area, and keep unauthorized persons out, or it could be used merely as a delay barrier design to slow an attacker or adversary down allowing responding security force members time to take actions to defend the facility.
Being
References: Ahrens, S. A. (2007). Locked…But Is It Secure?. Government Security, 6(3), 16-18. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Bakr W. F. and Hamed A. A. Journal of Physical Security, (2009) 3(1), 3 Retrieved on Oct. 19, 2011 Brooks, D. J. (2009). Security Journal, 24, 101-117. Retrieved on Oct. 19, 2011 Fennelly, L. (2004). Effective Physical Security (3rd ed). Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Poremba, S. (2011). Neither Rain Nor Dark of Night Will Stop Security. Security: Solutions for Enterprise Security Leaders, 48(9), 80-83. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.. Rosenberg, P. (2000). facility security:keeping them away. grounds maintenance, 35(10), 24. Retrieved on Oct. 19, 2011 Pepper S. (2010) Journal of Physical Security, 4(1), 2 Retrieved on Oct. 19, 2011