Physical Security - Elements and Design

Elements and Design

The field of security engineering has identified the following elements to physical security:

• obstacles, to frustrate trivial attackers and delay serious ones; to include:
  • explosion protection;
• detection systems, such as surveillance systems, alarms, security lighting, security guard patrols or closed-circuit television cameras, to make it likely that attacks will be noticed; and
• security response, to repel, catch or frustrate attackers when an attack is detected.

In a well designed system, these features must complement each other. There are at least four layers of physical security:

• Environmental design
• Mechanical, electronic and procedural access control
• Intrusion detection (with appropriate response procedures)
• Personnel Identification (authentication)

There may be many choices to consider and there is no "best" solution that will satisfy a broad class of situations. Each situation is unique. What is offered in this article are only proven techniques, but not always required or expected, or satisfactory for the end user.