Managing Vulnerability With Countermeasures of Physical Security
Managing Vulnerability Using Countermeasures of Physical Security
Organizations are not immune to risks and uncertainties. Risks affect the overall management of operations in an organization. It reduces the efficiency of organizational activities because most of the resources are directed towards managing, containing, and transferring the risk. This necessitates the adoption of effective risk management strategies that will allow organizations to manage the risk in the most cost effective ways. Risk survey is proven as one of the most essential strategies most organizations embrace in response to risk management. This entails gathering information related to the causative factors predisposing the organizations to risks. Therefore, this research paper discusses the modern countermeasures associated with physical security. In specific, the analysis will illuminate the issues associated with physical security like the role and effectiveness of , countermeasures based on risk and vulnerabilities and ways of communicating priorities effectively to the stakeholders. In addition, the analysis will incorporate benefits associated with the modern countermeasures, risk management options, recovery and backup plans, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of the adopted security program.
Modern security countermeasures associated with Physical Security.
Physical security poses a significant threat to most organizations globally. It affects the effectiveness of operations management across departments in an organization. One of the modern countermeasures associated with physical security is security surveys. Security surveys refer to the process of collecting information related to the threat and analysis for the establishment of the desired plans against a security threat. It provides information on “who,” “what,” “how,” “where,” “when,” and “why” a problem exists in the organization. Security surveys eliminate vices such as fraud in the organization facilitating effective management of operations and reduction of losses. It maintains the productivity and sustainability of the organization in times of economic crises. Security surveys prevent crime losses that exceed the losses associated with accidents in an organization (Chapter 5 of Broder, & Tucker, 2011).
For a long time, larger organizations have considered physical security as a vital requirement for the growing business. This is no longer the case as larger sectors such as the government agencies, privately held companies, non- profit organizations and the publicly traded companies have embraced the need for the adoption of the physical security measures. In addition, the modern countermeasures associated with physical security are adopting strategies aiming at changing the attitude of businesses towards physical security. This entails creating awareness among the business managers/owners on the importance of protecting their businesses against unauthorized access. This is because; 75%-85% of the organizational losses occur due to unauthorized access by third parties.
In addition, the modern countermeasures associated with physical security have focused on empowering the responsibilities of the on-site security personnel. on-site security personnel have been provided with a wide range of activities including providing expert information on crime related losses incurred by a business. They conduct a detailed survey of the risks and threats facing the organization. They design security plans and ensure the existing plans are up-to date. This implies that, physical security ensures the development of an updated security plan that will enable the organization to respond to security threats. Besides, the other physical security related activities such as developing access control procedures required to protect the business to , designing, supervising, and installing detection and anti-intrusion devices, and establishing a workplace violence program to respond to internal and external threats. Other roles of the security professional associated with the modern countermeasures of physical security include providing control over the movement of the employees and customers, reviewing, training and selecting security personnel and assisting in the development of disaster and emergency recovery plans.
Communicating priorities of the plan to the stakeholders to facilitate its adoption is another countermeasure of the physical security. Communicating the priorities associated with the physical security plan creates the need for urgent adoption among the stakeholders. As such, strategies such as establishing a meaningful dialogue with the stakeholders, create awareness among them. Communicating the importance of physical security to the stakeholders also entails the provision of factual data associated with the security option that will win the stakeholders’ trust. Maintaining professionalism, when communicating the physical security, ensures its adoption by the stakeholders. In addition, providing a cost estimate for the whole process makes the management team understand the need for the adoption of the physical security in the business/organization (Chapter 7 of Broder, & Tucker, 2011).
Cost benefit/benefit analysis enables the business to assess the risks and advantages associated with the security option. This entails evaluating the efficiency of the security program with the perceived operational costs and implications on organizational performance. This ensures proper development of security design for ensuring effective management operations management. Some of the risk management options that ensure physical security include the development of effective policies, procedures, hardware, and labor that promote utilization of security programs. Recovery can be achieved by ensuring developing the desired hardware that stores data related to operations management in the organization. Evaluating the effectiveness of a security program is achievable by determining the reduction of fraud cases in the business, effectiveness of operations management and the reduction in the number of reported incidences of security threats in the business.
Strengths of the modern physical security countermeasures
It is apparently clear that, the modern physical security countermeasures have more strength as compared to the traditional systems maintaining security. Security surveys used in the physical security countermeasures facilitate early detection and management of a security threat. The survey equips the security personnel and employees of the organization with the desired competencies. The countermeasures help organizations to prevent uncertainties and fraud that affects the effectiveness of operations management. The countermeasures facilitate the development of objectives that can be evaluated for their effectiveness. For example, the communicated benefits associated with physical security can be used to develop realistic and achievable objectives of the organization (Chapter 7 of Broder, & Tucker, 2011).
Physical security systems provided opportunities for the analysis of the perceived and actual costs and benefits associated with the adoption of the program. As such, physical security tools such as policy, procedures, hardware, and labor force/manpower provide organizations with effective ways of analyzing, developing, and designing cost effective physical security programs. The system design of the physical security allows for flexibility. It allows for review, re-structuring, upgrade, and improvement to ensure effective response to threats and management of operations in the organization. The system , procedures, and guidelines. This ensures employee and stakeholder responsibility in ensuring the maintenance of optimal security within and outside the organization (Chapter 5 of Broder, & Tucker, 2011).
In addition, the countermeasures associated with the physical security are cost effective for business organizations. For example, the organizations use up to 85% of their resources in employing adequate labor force to ensure security and ensure optimum productivity. The countermeasure associated with the physical security reduces these costs because it uses optimum technology to bring the desired organizational change. The anti-trust and detective devices used by the physical security systems are more reliable than the traditional methods of ensuring the security in organizations. It uses state of the most sophisticated electronic systems that facilitate security.
Besides, the countermeasures associated with the physical security are time effective. In addition, the countermeasures replace the traditional systems of security management in the organization. Through this, it helps the organization by reducing the costs of maintaining the adopted security systems. The communication strategies used to market physical security ensure honesty and commitment from the stakeholders. It provides them with the estimate required for the adoption and management of the security systems in their organizations. Conclusively, the counter systems associated with the physical security are cost effective to the organization. They reduce organizational losses by increasing efficiency of tasks execution and management of operations. Above all, the system provides the most effective systems for and intrusion by a third party into the organization. Therefore, this ensures the safety of organizational information, hence, maximum productivity.
References
Chapter 5 of Broder, JF. & Tucker, G. (2011). Risk Analysis and the Security Survey. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Elsevier
Chapter 7 of Broder, JF. & Tucker, G. (2011). Risk Analysis and the Security Survey. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Elsevier
