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Physical Security

What is Physical Security?

Measures to protect an organization's physical assets, facilities, and personnel from unauthorized access, theft, damage, and environmental threats.

Information Security

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as physical security. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on physical security

Requirements naming physical security across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Physical security must be integrated into property planning from project initiation, including site selection, design, construction, and changes to tenancy or operations.

PSPF-2024-POL-15 · Policy 15: Physical security planning

People and Physical Security. Cargo handling and storage facilities must have physical barriers and deterrents (fencing, gates, lighting, alarms, CCTV) commensurate with risk to prevent unauthorised access.

CTPAT-MSC-9 · Physical Security
C5 (Germany)3 controls

Derive documented physical and environmental security requirements for all premises and data centres from risk assessment and identified protection needs, addressing planning faults, intrusion, surveillance, climate control, fire, water, power and ventilation,...

C5-PS-01 · Physical Security and Environmental Control Requirements
ISO 27002:20223 controls

Requires security perimeters to be defined and used to protect any area holding information and the assets associated with it.

iso-27002-2022::7.1 · Physical security perimeters

Facilities, security zones and physical assets holding classified information must be protected through certified physical security measures (zones, access control, secure storage).

DSPF-PHYS-PRIN · Physical security of facilities, zones and assets

Physical security for telecommunications facilities including exchanges, data centers, and cell sites

27011-7.1 · Physical security perimeters

Questions people ask about physical security

What is Physical Security?
Measures to protect an organization's physical assets, facilities, and personnel from unauthorized access, theft, damage, and environmental threats.
Why is Physical Security important for compliance?
Physical Security is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding physical security helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Physical Security?
Physical Security appears in the requirement text of Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) Release 2024, C-TPAT - Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, C5 (Germany), ISO 27002:2022, Defence Security Principles Framework (DSPF). Across these standards we have identified 19 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Physical Security?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how physical security applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Physical Security applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.