Expert view: The inevitable convergence of physical and cybersecurity
Smit highlighted that most modern buildings include elements such as video surveillance systems which can all be accessed and controlled remotely and are vulnerable to security breach

Expert view: The inevitable convergence of physical and cybersecurity

It may not be immediately clear as to how, but physical and cybersecurity are converging and the need for a combination of cyber and physical defences will soon, if they aren’t already, become a non-negotiable addition to enterprise security systems. Sven Smit, Portfolio Director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, tells us more.

When you consider that today we are able to remotely control virtually all of our security systems, from those that govern our data to those that protect our physical businesses, it should come as no surprise that hackers are able to do so as well.

The exponential adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) – with more devices than ever before operating through the cloud, 22 billion by 2020 estimates IMS Research – made it necessary for security experts to consider the correlations between physical and cybersecurity, including the shared risk factors and the shared protective measures that can be taken.

Most modern buildings, for example, include video surveillance systems, access controls, elevator systems and even digitally controlled air-conditioning lines, which can all be accessed and controlled remotely and are thereby vulnerable to security breaches.

When you consider the types of people we’re talking about here, there is always the risk that a cybercriminal could pose a serious threat to the physical safety of the workplace. Using their way of thinking, the possibilities are endless – imagine a fire alarm with all exits locked and panicked staff, or no fire alarm at all when it’s really needed.

It’s best to avoid being naïve or trusting when it comes to security. When the talking fridge was invented, who’d have thought there’d be someone out there who’d want to mess with it? But they do, or they will, and the networked enablement of business functions is forcing companies to see that physical and cybersecurity must be treated in a unified manner.

The good news is that businesses are seeing how the convergence of physical and cybersecurity is increasing operational efficiencies, with many taking the necessary steps to protect themselves and their customers by using cybersecurity innovations to protect their physical systems.

As Africa’s leading security and fire trade exhibition, Securex South Africa is mirroring the industry’s advancement towards this convergence, tackling this topic as well as a myriad of other issues facing the security industry both now and into the future.

Securex South Africa 2019 will take place in May 2019 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

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