July 2025
Critical Cyber Vulnerabilities
Threatening Physical Security
In today’s connected world, physical security systems no longer stand apart from IT infrastructure. Door readers, CCTV cameras, intercoms, and even turnstiles now operate on IP networks. A single cybersecurity lapse can quickly become a real-world problem, turning digital weaknesses into unlocked doors or disabled alarms.
Treating physical and digital security as separate concerns is no longer viable. They are two halves of the same defense system, and both must be secured together.
Unpatched IoT and OT Devices
Many cameras, smart locks, and environmental sensors rely on embedded operating systems that seldom receive updates. According to a recent industry survey, 57% of organizations identify outdated IT and OT infrastructure as one of their biggest challenges.
Attackers exploit known vulnerabilities in these systems to hijack cameras, blind surveillance systems, and move laterally into corporate networks. When devices remain unpatched, they effectively create a bridge from the public internet straight into server rooms, warehouses, and other critical areas.
The result is that a small vulnerability in an IoT device can compromise an entire facility.
Cloud Misconfiguration
Cloud-based access-control and video-management platforms offer scalability and convenience, but misconfiguration is a common and dangerous problem. Mistakes such as open storage buckets, over-privileged accounts, or incorrect access-control lists can expose sensitive data.
As 43% of organizations now use cloud services to manage their physical-security programs, these errors represent a major threat vector. A single configuration slip can expose live video feeds, reveal credential data, or leak archive footage to unauthorized individuals.
Cloud convenience must never come at the cost of proper configuration.
Weak Identity and Access Management
Physical-security consoles and back-end systems often ship with default usernames and passwords. In hybrid environments where IT and security teams share responsibilities, weak identity management becomes especially dangerous.
If multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strict role-based permissions are not enforced, one compromised account can grant a threat actor the ability to unlock doors, disable alarm systems, or erase critical security logs.
Strong authentication policies are not optional: they are foundational.
Supply Chain and Third-Party Risks
Manufacturers of security hardware frequently depend on shared software libraries, firmware components, and third-party modules. This interconnected development model introduces upstream risk.
A single tainted firmware update can implant backdoors across hundreds of devices before anyone detects the problem. Without a rigorous vendor attestation process, organizations may unknowingly expose their perimeter defenses through compromised suppliers.
Proactive vendor verification, along with digital signature checks and update validation, are vital steps to prevent such scenarios.
Insider Threats and Configuration Drift
Not every vulnerability comes from outside. Security operators sometimes open firewall ports temporarily to fix a malfunctioning reader or network camera, then forget to close them. Over time, these exceptions accumulate quietly, creating undocumented backdoors within the system.
Such oversights allow both malicious insiders and external attackers to exploit these forgotten entry points, potentially sabotaging systems or concealing physical theft.
Documenting every configuration change and regularly reviewing firewall rules can prevent these weaknesses from going unnoticed.
Mitigation Recommendations
To address these growing risks, organizations should implement a unified cyber-physical security strategy that protects every network-connected device. Key steps include:
Regular patching and configuration reviews for all IoT and OT devices.
Cloud configuration automation using infrastructure-as-code templates to eliminate manual errors.
Zero-trust identity controls with strong MFA and granular role-based permissions.
Ongoing vendor risk assessments that evaluate software supply chains.
User training and awareness programs to reduce accidental exposures.
Continuous monitoring and drift detection to identify unauthorized configuration changes before they become breaches.
By integrating cybersecurity and physical security into a single, cohesive defense model, organizations can protect not only their data but also their people, property, and reputation.
