As many companies return to a hybrid working schedule - in fact, 26% of businesses increased the number of in-office days in 2024 - it’s important to ensure your physical security systems not only protect your properties and secure areas but also your employees’ wellbeing.
By upgrading to modern security technologies, you’re proactively preparing for potential threats while simultaneously anticipating and preventing emerging risks before they escalate. In addition to creating a safe environment, these technologies optimize responsiveness capabilities, staffing, and budget efficiency. Ignoring these physical security trends could expose your business to operational disruptions or costly incidents.
Let’s examine several key physical security trends to determine which could bolster your business security moving forward.
As traditional physical security measures merge with digital cybersecurity tools, you’ll begin to see more comprehensive systems that boast adaptability, efficiency, and simplicity of use.
Here are give physical security trends sure to make a splash in the industry:
Incorporating machine learning and AI are physical security trends that offer significant threat detection and prediction advancements. By analyzing data in real time, these technologies streamline the process from initial risk identification to alerting security personnel. Thus, allowing your team to focus on addressing critical concerns rather than evaluating suspicious patterns and behaviors.
Additionally, machine learning algorithms can assess subtle risk indicators and even forecast potential security breaches to proactively address incidents.
Recent cybersecurity advancements have triggered a noticeable shift from on-premise to cloud-based services to store and manage physical security information. These systems centralize security applications—such as access control, video surveillance, and alarm monitoring—into one digital location that can be monitored from anywhere with an internet connection. This solution provides a comprehensive, holistic view of all systems, simplifying your overall security management.
Access control systems are evolving from PIN codes and key cards to more secure methods such as facial recognition, fingerprint scans, and other unique biometrics. Businesses have a lot to gain from this physical security trend. This transition eliminates the risk associated with lost or stolen physical credentials. Employees also benefit from a more fluid and convenient experience as there’s no concern about forgetting or misplacing necessary credentials.
With a projected 38.8 billion IoT connections by 2029, IoT security stands to be a highly integrable option for businesses. By connecting all alarms, sensors, and other monitoring devices within your organization, IoT creates a cohesive security network that effectively communicates and monitors data, delivers immediate threat updates, and alerts security staff. This solution is highly scalable, as each new device expands your preexisting network infrastructure.
A big trend in physical security is its combination with cybersecurity. While digital solutions can enhance physical security, they can also introduce vulnerabilities without proper protection. With data breaches reaching record-breaking highs, implementing robust cybersecurity is essential to reducing risks, maintaining operations, and increasing overall safety. Protecting both company and employee data by implementing zero trust architecture, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and employee education can help defend against ransomware and other costly attacks.
To better understand the applications of the physical security industry trends, let’s further review specific strategies you can employ to protect your business.
This is an important physical security trend. This protection offers the best of both worlds: visible video surveillance systems deter crime while AI-powered technology analyzes valuable data for your business. While real-time monitoring can be an arduous task, AI easily monitors entire surveillance systems and searches data for anomalies using the following:
The system then immediately notifies security personnel, automating your incident response process and reducing overall response time. AI-powered machine learning algorithms can also study this data to forecast future breaches.
Biometrics are rapidly becoming the favored method of access control because they are unique to each individual and improve user experience by allowing seamless movement between systems without physical credentials. A non-exhaustive list of biometric access control options include:
This physical security trend and innovation is well suited for high-security areas, as biometric identifiers are difficult to replicate and eliminate the need for key cards or fobs that could be lost, stolen, or otherwise misused.
Smartphone-based access solutions create a form of two-factor authentication, where employees use their smartphones to access buildings and their biometrics to access their phones. With an estimated 4.88 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2024, many employees already have access to this technology.
Since many employees typically carry their phones at all times, the risk of forgetting physical credentials is reduced. This also minimizes use of shared entry touchpoints, like fingerprint scanners, improving company hygiene.
Additionally, mobile credentials eliminate the need for businesses to collect and maintain sensitive employee data, as it is securely managed by the user on their smartphone.
Sensors within the IoT ecosystem work together to collect, monitor, and analyze data providing a comprehensive view of inputs across your operations including:
License Play Recognition (LPR) technology captures license plates, ensuring that no unpermitted vehicles or other potential security risks slip by unnoticed. This strengthens your business’s overall access control by providing continuous, automated monitoring of parking structures and other secure sites. In the event of a security breach, LPR systems can immediately provide critical information, such as license plate numbers and descriptions of individuals involved, helping to respond to incidents more efficiently.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to implementing these physical security trends. Determining some of the following factors can help you choose which measures are appropriate based on your organization’s goals and operating practices:
With so much physical security now influenced by digital growth, it’s no wonder that the latest physical security trends are driven heavily by AI and data analysis.
Advanced monitoring and threat response go beyond protecting vital assets, but inspire confidence and trust among both employees and customers in a time when that relationship is key.
To stay ahead of emerging threats and trends in physical security, it's crucial to partner with experts to implement tailored security solutions. Get in touch for customized security solutions for long-term protection.