General aspects of office security

Our aim in improving security can be summarised in three words: Prevent unauthorised access. This is true whether your office is in an urban or rural area. In rare cases it may also be necessary to protect an office against a pos- sible attack (against bombing, for example). This brings us to the first general consideration - the vulnerabilities of an office. They increase risk, depending on the threat you face. For example, if you are at risk of someone stealing equipment or information, you must remove your vul- nerabilities accordingly. A night alarm (electric, if you have access to electricity, or a night watchman, or otherwise a dog) is of little use if nobody is going to come and check what has happened. On the other hand, if there is a violent break-in in daylight, reinforced door railings or alarms won’t be very useful. In short, take measures according to the threats you face and the context you are working in.

The vulnerabilities of an office must be assessed in the light of the threats you may face.

However, it is important to find a balance between putting appropriate security measures in place and giving outsiders the impression that something is being “hidden” or “guarded”, because this can in itself put you at risk. In office securi- ty you often have to choose between keeping a low profile or taking more obvi- ous measures if need be. On the other hand, a potential aggressor will be aware that your office contains valuables or contentious information and that you ‘need’ to protect it.

The security of an office is no greater than its weakest point.

If somebody wants to gain entry without your knowledge, they won’t choose the most difficult entry point. Remember that the easiest way of gaining access to an office and observing what goes on inside is, sometimes, as simple as knock- ing on the door and getting inside.