Increasing digitalization is blurring the boundaries between physical security and IT security

Many threats that a company is exposed to affect both physical and IT security. For example, unauthorized physical access to an office space could allow a person to obtain confidential information. Similarly, this person could gain unauthorized access to networks and IT applications, thereby jeopardizing the company's information security.

In many industries and organizations that are important to the public sector (KRITIS), there are regulations that require both physical and IT security measures.

The convergence of physical security and IT security refers to the fact that the areas and systems in the company that are responsible for the protection of sites, buildings and rooms are increasingly working together with the areas and systems in the company that deal with the protection of data, networks and computer systems.

Combining physical security and IT security in a central management platform 

A converged security strategy facilitates compliance with security measures and enables companies and organizations to better respond to today's complex and interconnected threats.

To achieve this, physical security measures, such as access control, and IT security measures, such as identity and access management for IT systems, must work together seamlessly. This can be achieved by implementing a central management platform.

For example, companies are increasingly using a multifunctional company ID card to store people's identity data and various identification procedures on it. The advantage for employees, visitors and external personnel is that they no longer need to carry different cards or devices to open doors, log into computers and networks or access IT applications. In addition, many other interesting applications become possible, including cashless payments in the canteen, data encryption and multi-factor authentication.

A management platform for physical and digital security requirements  

A management platform such as the Peak Security Suite is able to consolidate the identities of employees, visitors and external personnel and centrally manage the lifecycle of such multifunctional company ID cards, including the associated technologies (e.g. RFID, digital X.509 certificates, QR codes, etc.).