By Jay Slaughterbeck, Chief Technology Officer, Minuteman Security & Life Safety

For years, organizations viewed physical security and cybersecurity as two separate disciplines.

One team anaged doors, cameras, and alarms. Another protected networks, endpoints, and cloud applications. 

That separation no longer exists.

Most organizations would never deploy an enterprise application without encryption, identity management, patching, and continuous monitoring. Yet many still expect their physical security systems to operate outside those same cybersecurity standards. That mindset is quickly becoming one of the biggest security risks facing modern organizations.

Today’s access control systems, video surveillance platforms, visitor management applications, intercoms, and intrusion detection systems all communicate across enterprise networks, integrate with identity providers, connect to cloud services, and exchange sensitive operational data. Physical security is now part of an organization’s technology ecosystem, and it should be secured accordingly.

Unfortunately, many organizations still deploy physical security systems that rely on outdated practices that would never be accepted elsewhere in the enterprise.

If cybersecurity is protecting every device connected to the network, physical security can’t be the exception.

Physical Security Must Be Built Secure by Design

Cybersecurity isn’t something that should be layered onto a system after installation. It must be part of the architecture from day one.

Modern physical security solutions should be designed with security built into every layer, including:

  • Secure-by-default configurations
  • Removal of legacy and insecure communication protocols
  • Regular software and firmware updates
  • Vendors committed to modern cybersecurity standards
  • Continuous vulnerability management

Just as importantly, organizations should expect their security integrator to understand and implement these practices. Installing cameras and card readers is no longer enough. Today’s integrators must be accountable for the cyber hygiene of the systems they deploy.

Encryption Should Exist Everywhere

Data moves constantly throughout a physical security environment, from readers to controllers, cameras to servers, mobile credentials to cloud platforms.

Every one of those transactions should be protected.

Encryption in transit should include technologies such as TLS, HTTPS, Secure APIs, and OSDP Secure Channel, which encrypts communications between access control readers and controllers.

Equally important is encryption at rest. Video recordings, badgeholder databases, visitor information, audit logs, backups, and personally identifiable information should all remain encrypted while stored.

Protecting the data throughout its entire lifecycle dramatically reduces the risk of compromise.

Identity Has Become the New Perimeter

Traditional network boundaries continue to disappear. Whether users are accessing enterprise applications or entering a secure facility, identity has become the primary method of establishing trust.

Modern physical security platforms should integrate directly with enterprise identity systems through technologies such as Microsoft Entra ID, Active Directory, Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), SCIM provisioning, and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).

These integrations ensure users receive only the access they need, when they need it and that access is automatically removed when their role changes or employment ends.

Managing identity throughout its lifecycle is just as important for a building as it is for an enterprise application.

Zero Trust In Physical Security

One of the biggest shifts happening across enterprise security is the adoption of Zero Trust.

Zero Trust is based on a simple principle: never automatically trust a user, device, or application.

Instead, organizations continuously verify identities, grant only the minimum required privileges, monitor activity, and assume that any system could be compromised.

Those same principles belong in physical security.

Access control systems, surveillance platforms, and security devices should participate in an organization’s broader Zero Trust architecture rather than operate in isolation. Every access request should be verified. Every privilege should have a purpose. Every activity should be auditable. When physical and cyber security work together under the same security model, organizations become significantly more resilient.

Security Is Never “Finished”

Deploying a new security platform is only the beginning.

Maintaining a secure environment requires continuous lifecycle management, including:

  • Software patching
  • Firmware updates
  • Certificate management
  • Asset inventories
  • Configuration management
  • Vulnerability remediation

Threats evolve constantly. Security programs must evolve with them.

Protecting More Than Doors

Modern physical security systems store an enormous amount of valuable information:

  • Badgeholder records
  • Visitor information
  • Video evidence
  • Alarm history
  • Audit trails
  • Facility layouts
  • Credential databases

This information has operational value and, in many cases, regulatory implications.

Organizations must protect these assets not only from cyber threats but also in support of privacy obligations and compliance requirements.

Physical Security Is Now Part of Enterprise IT

Increasingly, physical security platforms are expected to integrate seamlessly with enterprise technologies including identity providers, HR systems, Security Operations Centers (SOCs), cloud infrastructure, APIs, and corporate governance frameworks.

This convergence is creating better visibility, stronger automation, and faster incident response across organizations.

The result is a more resilient security posture in which physical and cybersecurity work together rather than operating independently.

The Bottom Line

Physical security has evolved from a collection of standalone systems into a connected enterprise technology platform.

Organizations that embrace secure-by-design architectures, modern identity management, end-to-end encryption, Zero Trust principles, and continuous lifecycle management will be better positioned to reduce cyber risk, improve operational resilience, simplify administration, support compliance, and protect their people, facilities, and critical assets.

Physical security is no longer just about controlling access to buildings.

It’s about securing every connection, every identity, and every interaction across the enterprise.

About Minuteman Security

Minuteman Security & Life Safety is a national systems integrator dedicated to protecting people, property, and mission-critical operations. Founded in 1988, Minuteman has grown into one of the largest security and life safety providers in North America, recognized as the 2025 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year. With expertise across video surveillance, access control, cybersecurity, and emergency communications, Minuteman partners with organizations in healthcare, education, critical infrastructure, and enterprise markets.