Do you know the actions that could pose a security risk? This will be covered here – Which Situation Is A Security Risk?
Some situations at work can pose security risk to the workplace. Identifying these situation is a good way to combat them. Security risk is an event or condition that has the potential for causing asset loss and the undesirable consequences or impact from such loss.
The following are some situations that are security risk:
Which Situation Is A Security Risk?
Tailgating:
Most workplaces have some kind of access control such as a locked door or an access point that accepts swipe cards. Unfortunately, a determined attacker can easily overcome these physical security measures.
How does tailgating work?
Tailgating is when a person who is not authorized follows a person who is authorized into a secure area.
Since only the front door requires identification or a swipe card, this will naturally occur as multiple people pass through the doors. Any unauthorized individual will have no trouble getting in.
How to reduce the dangers of tailgating
Fortunately, with the right physical security measures, tailgating can be limited. Anti-tailgating doors virtually prohibit tailgating if you are willing to make the investment but their installation can be pricey.
Offering physical security training to your employees is another strategy for reducing tailgating. This is more expensive but somewhat less reliable. It entails making employees aware of the issue and providing them with a strict physical security policy that includes instructions like not opening doors to people they don’t recognize. Employees should be encouraged to actively report tailgating attempts to security personnel as well.
Theft of documents:
Your workplace is likely to have papers and documents scattered throughout, from printer stations to desks. Sensitive documents can quickly go missing and end up in the wrong hands. A visitor may see information that you don’t want them to see, even if they aren’t taken out of the office.
Implementing a clear-desk policy is one of the best ways to prevent the theft or accidental disclosure of sensitive information and documents. It is less likely that sensitive documents will be left in vulnerable locations if a clear-desk policy is in place which means making sure that all desks are cleared and that all documents are put away at the end of the workday. You should also make sure that when your employees no longer require them, they shred any sensitive documents they have.
Access control and preventing unaccounted visitors from entering your workplace are also essential for preventing the theft of documents.
Unaccounted visitors:
Maintaining a high level of physical security is impossible if you do not know who is or was in your workplace at any given time. Since you won’t be able to verify their presence if there is an incident, unaccounted visitors pose a significant threat.
How to keep track of visitors
While swipe-card-access or ID doors are essential for business security, you should also issue visitor passes to ensure that all visitors are accounted for. You will always be able to determine whether a person in your premises has permission to be there, and you will also have a log of entry to later verify a person’s presence on your premises.
Naturally, you need to make sure that only authorized verification is being used by everyone.
Identity theft:
A functioning access control system necessitates that each individual use their own identification. The outcome is the same as if you had no access control at all if people are using someone else’s identification to enter and exit your premises.
Employees must be educated about the significance of safeguarding their access cards or IDs. Employees will frequently lend or share cards without training, making access monitoring difficult. Unless the importance of protecting IDs is made clear, employees may also handle them carelessly.
Social engineering attack:
There are many different kinds of social engineering attacks. One of the reasons it’s so hard to fight is because of this. In order to gain access to secure areas and networks, social engineering attacks rely on manipulating your employees, often by using information they have obtained to impersonate someone else or by exploiting basic human empathy.
Common examples of social engineering
The “coffee trick” is one of the most common forms of social engineering. This is a more sophisticated form of tailgating: It involves a person walking toward an office door with a coffee cup in each hand. Out of courtesy, an unsuspecting employee who is passing through the door or is nearby will hold the door open, allowing an unapproved individual into the building.
Make a thorough physical security risk assessment and consider how someone could get around the protections that are in place as the first step toward combating social engineering. While there is no easy way to eliminate all threats posed by social engineering, you can train your staff to combat it. Employees will be more alert to any suspicious contacts or activity if they are made aware of the risks posed by social engineering, so it’s important to educate them about it.
Your company’s human cyber risk must be assessed, mitigated, and monitored, but security barriers and anti-tailgating doors won’t guarantee your business’s safety in the end. While the appropriate physical measures are necessary for protecting your business, the best way to combat the full range of physical security threats is to educate your employees about physical security and encourage them to take an active role in protecting their workplace.
Sabotage and vandalism:
The property of your business can be damaged in a variety of ways, from minor incidents to major harm that can be costly to fix. It may also result in lost sales if your regular business operations are disrupted. Security teams are able to quickly identify an incident and respond appropriately by making rounds and regularly conducting security inspections of the premises.
The phases of the vandalism control strategy are suggested by the Canadian government: safeguard, respond, and recover. Preserving the premise should always be your first line of defense. The vandalism is slowed down by these barriers. Identify the problem and respond appropriately if you were unable to protect the property successfully. Finally, if nothing else works, get the stolen or damaged property back or replace it.
When it comes to vandalism and sabotage, it’s best to act quickly and let the right people know how much damage has been done. A security team’s policies and procedures should always include instructions on how to deal with vandalism.
Hostage Situations and Kidnapping, Ransoms, and Extortion (KRE):
According to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, 60 to 70% of foreign kidnappings of U.S. citizens go unreported. Employees of a company who travel on business to unfamiliar cities can be at risk due to global economic and political instability. Worst-case scenarios can occur if an organization fails to protect its employees from KRE and hostage situations.
Keeping the traveler’s schedule and agenda on a need-to-know basis is one preventative measure that security teams can take in case of KRE. Risk Management Magazine also recommends performing a risk review before traveling, becoming familiar with any “hot spots,” remaining in the company of people you trust, and not deviating too much from the itinerary without first informing someone. This is in addition to restricting access to the itinerary.
An insurance policy that covers KRE situations may also be a good idea because these policies can pay for the services of a skilled crisis management team, including those who are best suited to negotiate with the hostile party.
If one of your employees becomes a victim of KRE, the early hours are crucial for determining all of the facts. Security Magazine says that the communicator you choose to talk to the captor should be able to influence the bad guy without getting into a fight. The communicator must then ascertain the financial requirements for the victim’s secure release. Never make a first counteroffer until there is evidence of life. Law enforcement, government officials, the victim’s family, and possibly the media are additional stakeholders who ought to be involved in various capacities.
Protests and Direct Action:
In recent times, there has been a global movement that has seen an increase in direct action, protests, rallies, and other large-scale public gatherings. Because it is difficult to predict whether a peaceful protest will escalate into a more violent situation, putting you and the people inside your building at risk, protesters present a challenge for security teams.
If your team is aware of a planned protest, work with local law enforcement to determine whether you will need to increase your security presence on that day and the specifics of where and when it will take place. Make sure that all of your team’s security cameras and CCTVs are working properly and regularly test your security procedures to avoid major surprises in case of an unexpected protest.
When there is a concern for employees’ safety, security teams should share their larger plans with the organization as well as guidelines for how to keep them safe. For example, they might advise them not to go to work that day and to avoid the area if possible. Provide clear instructions on what to do in case of an evacuation or lockdown, even if employees still intend to enter the workplace.
Every protest is unique. However, the first step in mitigating the risks posed by a protest and minimizing business disruption is to establish security measures and inform all employees.
Terrorist Incidents:
There is never a security team that can fully prepare for a terrorist attack. In these circumstances, it is critical to identify the threats that pose a high risk of escalation and those that pose an immediate threat to your business. In case of an evacuation or lockdown, there should be a clear security protocol that is communicated to the entire organization, similar to how security teams should respond to protests and prepare for them. These procedures should be known to all employees, and they should also know how to tell the security team or organization that they are safe.
To ensure the safety of all employees, security teams must clearly communicate with local authorities and collaborate closely with law enforcement. The first step should be to secure all entry and exit points or points of weakness. More than just revenue loss and business interruption, failure to do so can result in potentially catastrophic outcomes.
