The current business world is complex, and your Edmonton-based business faces physical, digital, and operational security risks that were unheard of even a decade ago. From AI-powered phishing attempts to social engineering and attacks on connected building systems, your physical and cyber infrastructure is at a crossroads and requires a rethink of how you handle today’s threats. Here at Accesio, we have seen these threats evolve and have actual solutions to help your company prepare for the worst-case scenario. In this blog, we are going to explore why a proactive approach to corporate security is best, and how targeted, smart upgrades from Accesio can give you the defences to handle the modern, sophisticated attacks we are seeing across sectors.
Visibility: you can only protect what you can see
The first step in any proactive approach is to figure out where you have visibility into your security systems and where you do not. For instance, many of our clients have security cameras installed but lack a proper access control or logging system to track who is entering the building and from where. The old adage is that you cannot protect what you cannot see, and finding where the holes in your defence are will help set you up for success in the long term. We will also want to consider which areas, assets, or systems are most important to your company's operations and see where you lack visibility in those specific areas. For instance, you could have exterior video cameras but lack internal video cameras monitoring secure rooms or server rooms, which are essential to your company's operations.
Prioritize and Assess
Over the years, we have seen the best defensive stances come from prioritizing key assets, physical locations, or systems and focusing on exposure, rather than treating every single issue the same. Think of it as zone defence in football or basketball: you want to protect specific key zones to limit damage or potential issues. When setting up that proactive defence, you will want to sit down with leadership and key employees to prioritize your current physical and cyber infrastructure into tiers. Tier one consists of mission-critical components that would hamper the company if they were to go down or be affected by an external threat. Tier two systems are important, but you could find a workaround if a problem arises. Tier three is the least important and a nice-to-have, but it is not central to your company's mission.
Strengthen your Access Control System and Credentials
Once you have identified which areas of your company need protection, it is time to review your access control system. At Accesio, we come in to help your company develop and deploy an access control system with credentials that make sense for your line of business and how your company works. A modern access control system can include role-based access, limited duration access for contractors or building support staff, mobile credentials, and multi-factor authentication for your most secure areas. Further to this, with a modern access control system, you can seamlessly manage all aspects of your credential system and implement built-in policies and standard operating procedures for employees who are leaving the company and for lost or stolen credentials, to keep your building, people, and data safe.
Prepare your people, not just your system
Finally, one of the most important aspects of a proactive approach to your corporate security is getting buy-in from your staff. No matter how good your system is, your staff is the first line of defence against threats, and training them to identify issues and alert your security team will keep your company running like a well-oiled machine. Things such as recognizing phishing attempts, spotting suspicious visitors and unusual access requests, and raising the issue will help you create a security-aware workplace culture and better protect your company moving forward.
As one of the leading corporate and multi-family building security companies, the team at Accesio has been working with Edmonton-based businesses for years to provide them with the tools and training to identify and eliminate threats in real time. Whether you are looking to upgrade an aging access control system, install new sensors, cameras, and card readers on doors, or simply want us to work with you to review your current building and its systems and identify potential gaps, we are here to help. Call us today to see how Accesio can set your company up for short- and long-term success by equipping your team with the tools to respond quickly to evolving threats, reduce exposure, and keep operations running.
