How Effective Data Center Security Starts at the Perimeter with Advanced Physical Security Solutions

Data is one of the most valuable resources in the world.

Despite its ubiquity in the digital age, companies are constantly clamoring for more, leveraging it to power everything from artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to customer personalization.

As a result, the number of US data centers has soared, surpassing 5,388 – 70 percent more than the next ten largest markets combined.

These expansive complexes are perpetually attacked by bad actors looking to steal the valuable data and expensive equipment stored inside.

While much attention is given to the virtual perimeter and the potential for cyber attacks to exploit software vulnerabilities, threat actors are increasingly exploiting gaps in a data center’s physical security posture to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information and critical systems.

In other words, data security starts at the perimeter.

The Limits of Existing Security Protocols

To be sure, companies are not ignorant of the risk, nor are they leaving their data centers unprotected.

Many are making the needed investments in physical and cybersecurity.

However, data centers are typically in remote, rural areas and rely on a patchwork of legacy security systems that are outdated, poorly integrated, and vulnerable to exploitation.

These traditional security technologies have not changed in years.

For instance, data centers often deploy access control systems that rely on access cards or PINs to authenticate each user at access points. For additional security, some organizations might deploy biometric access solutions, like fingerprint readers, iris readers, or other biometric recognition technology.

These tech-focused security solutions are frequently paired with physical security solutions, like on-site security personnel. These talented and important personnel are frequently in short supply, experience high turnover rates, and require extensive training and certification requirements.

In many ways, existing solutions are the worst of both worlds. They incur significant upkeep costs and introduce unnecessary friction while achieving only modest security improvements.

Perhaps most problematically, they prevent organizations from leveraging new technologies and security solutions, making adapting to an always-changing security landscape more challenging.

Inadequate data center security can have enormous implications, including introducing regulatory compliance concerns or failing to account for complicated security scenarios, like tailgating.

Tailgating Typifies Complicated Security Vulnerabilities

Tailgating, when an unauthorized person follows an authorized person through a secure point, exemplifies the limitations of many access control solutions.

Politeness, social conventions, or lack of awareness can lead the authorized person to hold the door or otherwise fail to challenge the unauthorized individual.

The risk of tailgating is multifaceted, including:

Regulatory Non-Compliance: Tailgating can lead to violations of security regulations, potentially resulting in fines, legal penalties, and reputational damage.
Cyberattacks: Tailgaters may introduce malware or ransomware, disrupting operations and causing significant downtime.
Theft: Tailgaters may target physical assets like equipment and supplies or steal sensitive data from computers and servers.
Targeted Violence: Tailgating can allow individuals to harm employees within the facility.
Espionage: Competitors may use tailgating to gain access to confidential information, leading to leaks and competitive disadvantage.

Many employees don’t even identify tailgating as a potential security concern if the cost is inconsequential and the risk is negligible. In reality, tailgating can easily cause incredibly costly security incidents that set companies back hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

Of course, tailgating is just one potential vulnerability, but it typifies the far-reaching and complicated physical and cybersecurity scenarios data centers experience.

It highlights the critical need for a modern data center security solution that integrates physical and cybersecurity measures to effectively mitigate a wide range of threats.

What Modern Data Center Security Should Look Like

Data centers need access control solutions that are flexible, scalable, easy to use and deploy, and seamlessly integrated. They are right to look to technology to protect their physical infrastructure.

Data centers should look for security solutions that are:

built to protect privacy and support regulatory compliance
designed to simplify enrollment and administration while increasing security
equipped with advanced security features, like tailgate detection
flexible and scalable to accommodate your data center’s needs
built with trusted technology

Biometric authentication offers a sophisticated approach to data center access control. By harnessing unique individual characteristics, it transcends the limitations of traditional methods like keycards or PINs, offering a more secure and user-friendly experience.

However, traditional facial recognition systems can raise privacy concerns. These systems often collect biometric data without explicit user consent, comparing captured images to extensive databases for authentication. This approach can potentially expose personally identifiable information (PII).

In contrast, facial authentication allows users to opt in or out without exposing personally identifiable information.

Regardless of your data center security solution, ensure it prioritizes a balance of robust security, user convenience, and privacy protection to effectively safeguard your valuable assets and maintain compliance.

Secure Data Centers Keep Data Secure

Data centers are the lifeblood of the digital economy, housing the critical infrastructure that powers our era of tech development.

It’s a precious resource that deserves to be protected with a comprehensive security strategy that prioritizes physical and cyber defenses without compromise.

Data centers must evolve beyond outdated models and embrace a future where security is seamlessly integrated, user-friendly, and privacy-minded.

Only then can they effectively safeguard the information that fuels our digital world and ensure a future built on trust and innovation.