Physical information security protects data that can be physically breached, such as printed documents or verbal communication. It aims to combat social engineering, document theft, and unauthorized access to hardware. Many organizations focus on digital security, but experts suggest utilizing both fields for greater protection.
Physical information security describes practices and principles related to protecting data that can be physically breached. Experts often contrast this concept with network or computer security. Many organizations digitally store their data in databases, necessitating the need for information security professionals who use firewalls and passwords to restrict access. Physical information, on the other hand, may appear in the form of printed documents or verbal communication. Professionals who practice physical information security often focus on protecting information from perpetrators using techniques such as social engineering, digging through trash for disposed records, and stealing records.
A common goal of physical information security is protection against social engineering. Social engineering is the practice of manipulating individuals in order to gain access to inside information. A common example of social engineering is when an attacker pretends to be an authority to trick an individual into divulging information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. Some of the most effective physical information security methods for combating social engineering techniques might include implementing policies regarding who and when a professional can disclose inside information. Another common security method is to limit who can have access to sensitive data.
Physical information security tactics can also be used to protect printed documents. A common method of attackers is to dig through an organization’s trash to obtain sensitive information. Security professionals suggest shredding all documents before deleting them. In some cases, destroyed documents might even be removed from an organization’s premises.
Theft is another attack method that physical information security professionals are concerned about. Attackers could break into an area where documents are stored. Alarms and cameras can be installed to prevent this type of attack. Individuals who wish to retrieve documents could also use a social engineering technique where they pose as employees or officers. You can use name, voice, and face recognition software to prevent this from happening.
Digital data is often stored in hardware, such as drives and disks. Another common goal of physical security is to deter attackers from accessing hardware that might contain sensitive data. Tracking devices and alarms are effective hardware protection devices.
Many security professionals believe that many organizations focus on protecting digitally stored data while ignoring the security of physical information. For this reason, many scholars and practitioners write about developing security strategies that utilize aspects of both fields of security. Some physical information security professionals team up with cybersecurity firms so they can provide customers with even greater levels of protection.
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