To combat the recent WannaCry ransomware threat, most organizations rightfully exhibited rapid deployment of protective measures. While the growing focus on cybersecurity is fully warranted; with summer’s start, it’s equally important to review some simple, common-sense physical security steps your business should be taking:

1. Lock up the server room

Your first line of defense should be ensuring there are sufficient physical or electronic locks on the server room door and that they’re being used. After all, your servers represent the life-blood of your organization. Make it a policy that the server room door should be locked at all times that it is unoccupied and that only authorized personnel have an access key or code.

2. Physically lock the actual servers in the server room

To further protect your servers, invest in lockable, wall-mount server cabinets or floor-mount racks or cages that can be bolted directly to the floor or wall. This will help ensure that your servers are nearly impossible to steal.

3. Create a lockable, secondary office or space to house unused tablets, smartphones and computers

If your server room is compromised for space it’s a good idea to create or designate an unused office or closet area for storage of valuable electronic devices that aren’t being utilized due to employee absence or excess inventory. The unused devises will be out of sight and out of mind for potential thieves or unauthorized personnel.

4. Invest in a quality video surveillance system

To prevent accidental or intentional tampering of hard drives or server information by folks that have access to your server room, invest in a quality surveillance system with 24 x 7 x 365 monitoring. With today’s latest technological advances, it’s a relatively small price to pay for peace of mind. In fact, it’s a really good idea to invest in a system that surveys and monitors all critical access points into your facility, especially the front lobby location as well as any side or rear entrances.

5. Keep valuable documents in lockable file cabinets and offices

Don’t forget that much of your company’s most sensitive information ends up being printed on paper. In addition to securing the network and electronic memory of your printers, it’s equally important to establish policies and procedures that ensure unused or damaged copies of documents that you don’t want publicly distributed are immediately shredded. Make sure to invest in robust shredding devices and keep them close to your printers.

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