What is a weakness in the security system?

Good home security is crucial if you’re going to keep your family safe, but how protected is your home really? It’s easy to develop a false sense of security thinking that it can never happen to you until you experience a break in or vandalism yourself.

When it comes to protecting your home and family, there’s no place for complacency. Here are four areas where your home’s security may be putting you at risk, without you even realising.

1. Door frames. If your door frames are not supportive enough, it’s easier than you might think for someone to kick in the doors and gain entry to your home. Door frames are not often an area we think about when building or purchasing a home, but if you haven’t, it’s well worth considering reinforcing your door frames with heavy duty strike plates to be on the safe side.
2. Glass doors and windows. Glass is an essential feature of any home, unless you want to shut out natural light altogether, but unprotected glass is also easy to break, allowing an intruder to reach inside and unlock doors. Particularly vulnerable are glass panels in doors or beside doors, and windows on the entry level. The best way to manage this is to add security film on glass windows and doors – this will make it harder for someone to gain entry through a broken window.
3. Landscaping. Trees and bushes that block your home’s view from the street can be a security risk as they make it possible for someone to break into your home without being observed. It’s important that you always keep shrubs and trees well trimmed so they don’t obscure the view from the street.
4. Garages. The garage is not often thought of as an area of weakness but if your garage is equipped with a door opener, it may also have an emergency release mechanism that opens it in the event of a power failure. Many of these can be operated using a wire or coat hanger and allow an intruder to gain access to your garage. There are a few devices you can get that can shield your emergency release lever and ensure it’s only accessible from inside the garage.

Good security is important if you want to ensure your home and family are protected. By taking a few steps now to improve your home’s security, you could save yourself a lot of stress and money in the future.

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses/Limitations, Opportunities and Threats. A SWOT analysis is a method of analyzing internal factors a business can control and external factors it cannot control. A company's strengths and weaknesses are examples of internally controlled factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors. This type of analysis can be used on a departmental or functional basis, such as a company's security.

Security Strength

1. Computer software and hardware systems that are protected with firewalls, anti-malware and anti-virus programs are a strength. Another strength are employees who respect the need for using the correct passwords and use computer systems and apps only for work-related projects. If all the windows and doors lock, and are they locked after business hours, this is a strength. If patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade names are all protected under law, this is a strength.

Weaknesses of Security

1. Lack of funding for security purposes is a weakness that can be difficult to overcome. Consider what a security breach would cost you in lost equipment, sales or time, then allocate funds to protect areas with the highest potential losses. You can overcome an employee's lax attitude toward security with additional training and encouragement. Not enforcing intellectual property protection is a weakness that can result in a weakened brand and lost sales. A lax attitude about updating software protection is another weakness.

   Correcting some weaknesses, such as installing new security systems, will cost money. But other efforts, such as reminding employees of the importance of locking the workplace after hours, are free. A small effort such as changing computer passwords to random strings of numbers and letters could prevent unauthorized computer access.

Opportunities

1. New security systems and products come on to the marketplace on a regular basis. For example, cloud computing gives a small business data storage only when the businesses requires it. This means the business does not have to buy servers and other equipment that will not be used to their capacity. The data is secure and backed up by the outside company. The money saved could be put toward additional security measures.

Threats

1. Mother Nature is another security threat when it comes to storms, fires, earthquakes and flooding. Back up important information and documents to help prepare for these disasters. You should also be aware of, and prepare for, new computer viruses, hacking and phishing attacks. Make sure you keep your computer systems protected with the latest and best anti-virus software. Threats also come from dissatisfied customers, disgruntled employees or unethical competitors. They might try to speak negatively about your business on websites or social media sites. You should run a search of your business regularly to find out who is making negative comments about it. If the comments are untrue or blatantly unfair, do something about it. Counter them with comments of your own, or address them on your own website.

Tips

1. Develop a SWOT security analysis for your own business. Conduct surprise audits on employees to see if they're following company policies. Follow security measures yourself so employees have a good example.

There is no denying that traditional security systems suffer from integral weaknesses that newer and more intelligent systems are more than capable of overcoming.

Within the last decade or so, traditional security systems utilized within commercial or government facilities have consisted of a handful of essential elements. These are a well-trained group of personnel, a CCTV system, and some type of access control systems. At times, the traditional security system elements are good enough for specific uses. Still, there is definitely no denying that these types of security systems suffer from integral weaknesses that newer and more intelligent systems are more than capable of overcoming. Read on to learn more!

Simple Security Systems

Basic CCTV systems or access control-based security are typically simplistic, one-trick pony type of systems. An access control system might require one single type of authentication, like a key card, although these cards might be susceptible to theft or copying. It is a bit of a situation where you’re putting all of your eggs into one basket by relying on a single technology form. You are a bit vulnerable to specific types of threats because of this. By expanding your approach to vehicle or perimeter security and involving a variety of security systems, you are much more prepared for any kinds of threats that your facility might face.

Trained Guards and Personnel

Well-trained security guards and personnel will always be an important element within security, but an overreliance on their knowledge and ability could also lead to some severe issues in your security approach. When performing checks of road vehicles, it is next to impossible for a security expert to honestly know what each vehicle’s underside looks like and how potentially dangerous each modification might stand out in comparison. Intelligent systems like Gatekeeper’s intelligent vehicle undercarriage scanner can accurately determine these threats and benefit from artificial intelligence and instant access to databases at their very disposal.

Unadaptable and Outdated

Traditional security systems are a bit sluggish to adapt to. Personnel required updated training, CCTV systems need costly upgrades, and with all the time and money spent on these, you are left open to a possible attack or security breach. Modern intelligent security systems can upgrade and adapt on the fly to whatever your security needs might be. On the lookout for a certain license plate entering or exiting your facility? An intelligent license plate reader system is more than capable of alerting you to any situation, unlike an outdated CCTV system that requires constant monitoring.

Groundbreaking Technologies with Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper Security’s suite of intelligent optical technologies provides security personnel with the tool to detect today’s threats. Our systems help those in the energy, transportation, commercial, and government sectors protect their people and their valuables by detecting threats in time to act. From automatic under vehicle inspection systems, automatic license plate reader systems, to on the move automatic vehicle occupant identifier, we offer full 360-degree vehicle scanning to ensure any threat is found. Throughout 37 countries around the globe, Gatekeeper Security’s technology is trusted to help protect critical infrastructure. Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for updates about our technology and company.