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Cybercriminals aim to exploit any and all vulnerabilities. These network threats aren’t always digital — like suspicious emails. Some cyberattacks target physical systems instead: stealing smartphones with privileged access, sabotaging servers, copying classified files from company laptops, or leaving USB drives with ransomware for curious employees to unknowingly upload. In leading cybersecurity frameworks such as ISO 27001, physical security is just as essential as digital defenses.
ISO 27001 controls for physical security revolve around protecting your organization’s data against physical threats. Access control measures such as electronic locks and fencing help prevent theft.
Physical security also involves safeguarding equipment, electronic devices, hardware, and other data infrastructure. Security guards, surveillance systems, alarms, and heavy-duty mounting equipment are all deterrents to intentional damage or unauthorized access.
In ISO 27001:2013, physical security controls are mainly located in Annex A 11.1 and 11.2 subsections. Some standards for physical storage media in Annex 8.3 are also related to physical security.
The newer ISO 27001:2022 revision changed the way control families are categorized. In this edition, all physical security controls appear in Annex A7. There is one new control in the 2022 revision — A7.4: Physical Security Monitoring.
ISO 27001 divides physical security requirements into 14 practical controls. To help you prepare, this guide briefly covers the meaning of each one — with some examples where necessary.
This control requires your company to prevent unauthorized access to data by using physical barriers to wall off secure areas. Some methods of access control include:
Security perimeters are the first line of defense against intrusions. They can provide many layers of physical protection, preventing access to buildings, external equipment, and interior areas.
ISO 27001 A7.2 covers secure access points and entry systems. On one hand, access measures should allow authorized personnel to do their jobs efficiently. On the other hand, you need to keep visitors, low-level employees, and intruders out. Unprotected doors are major vulnerabilities.
Examples of robust safeguards include biometric scanners, keycards, key fobs, and other physical security tokens. Advanced systems use RFID technology to track employees in the workplace, revealing who accesses (or tries to access) secure locations, where they go, and when.
Some parts of buildings may need additional physical security, such as IT and network admin workspaces, server rooms, executive offices, accounting areas, and R&D labs. Controls require locks, guards, heat or motion detectors, alarms, or other security measures that are appropriate to the nature of the sensitive data.
Security monitoring services are important because of modern dangers. A growing number of data breaches involve internal threats, from careless actions to deliberate theft by employees. In 2023, telecommunications giant Verizon was impacted by a data breach that exposed the private data of more than 60,000 employees. The guilty party was a company insider.
To comply with ISO 27001 physical security standards, organizations need surveillance tools with recording or live monitoring capabilities. These tools can prevent unauthorized employees and criminals from removing laptops, stealing keycards, uploading malware, or downloading air-gapped files.
In many parts of the country, tornados, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires present a serious risk to information systems. Good data loss prevention practices mean developing policies and processes to mitigate physical threats:
ISO 27001 compliance means reducing the risk of disasters damaging your data infrastructure. Off-site cloud, hybrid-cloud, or multi-cloud storage configurations are potential solutions, along with regular data backups.
Employee misconduct can be motivated by sabotage, but threats to data don’t always come from individuals with malicious intent. Workers can damage computer systems and equipment accidentally or carelessly.
ISO 27001 A7.6 involves creating organizational policies to maintain data security and prevent misconduct. Your organization is responsible for deciding what security measures to implement.
One example of this control in action is ensuring maintenance staff have the proper training for server rooms. Unplugging the wrong cable can have catastrophic effects, accident or not.
The purpose of this control is to avoid leaving devices or screens turned on and unattended. Compliance involves training employees and configuring equipment with automatic logout settings, lock screens, and other security measures.
Workers should never leave for lunch without verifying that point-of-sale terminals, laptops, or electronic software platforms are secure. In the case of mobile devices, employees should keep access keys for them on hand at all times.
Servers and other data hardware should be located in an area with good ventilation, dust protection, and physical protection. HVAC systems may be necessary to prevent excessive moisture. Sensitive hardware should also be safe from spills, excessive vibrations, and impacts.
The prevalence of remote work makes cybersecurity more challenging. Your organization needs physical security controls for all company devices or employee systems that access your network. These can include mobile endpoint security, 24/7 network monitoring, mandatory device scans, and device usage prohibitions or policies for public networks.
External hard drives and USB devices can be useful for cybersecurity backups, but your organization needs clear rules to prevent data loss, corruption, or vulnerabilities. Controls should cover the transmission and encryption of data on storage media, as well as prohibited conduct, such as not using personal devices or taking company data off premises. You also need to establish protocols for the correct disposal of damaged storage media.
Some auxiliary systems are indirectly essential for protecting your data infrastructure. Data centers rely continuously rely on water, electricity, HVAC, and other systems to stay within safe operating limits. Large organizations need to plan for risks and implement mitigating strategies, such as redundant servers, segregated data storage, and maintenance of building support systems.
Your organization can’t control what happens at a municipal level, but you can ensure all cabling is properly installed and protected on your premises. Power cables, network cables, and fiber optic cables for internet access all need safeguards. Security encompasses protection from damage, interference, and interception, usually via buried lines, signal shielding, and physical barriers.
Servers, hard drives, laptops, and other types of hardware are vulnerable to degradation, environmental damage, and wear. Regular maintenance, replacements, and data migration are critical for long-term data storage.
To achieve ISO 27001 certification, you need trained personnel, detailed processes that adhere to cybersecurity best practices, and a healthy equipment maintenance program. The confidentiality of data must be protected at all times, such as by requiring IT personnel to perform repairs on-site.
This control covers both your organizational posture on equipment disposal and the way your employees handle damaged or old devices. Confidential data, admin credentials, and other sensitive information must be correctly and completely overwritten or wiped, even if you plan on reusing the device. Your organization is also responsible for taking preventative measures and vetting any third parties if you use an outside specialist for equipment disposal.
The goal of ISO 27001 physical security measures is to create a holistic information security management system. Digital and physical defenses are better when they work together and strengthen each other. Ready to simplify ISO 27001 compliance? Discover how Compyl’s automated platform helps businesses effortlessly track, manage, and enhance physical security controls. Request a demo today.
