In today’s digital world, data powers everything. From personal health information to sensitive financial data, organizations must store, share, and manage massive amounts of information to continue their operations, making data centers a key target for cybercriminals and physical threats.
This guide will explore the ins and outs of data center security, and what steps can be taken to strengthen a data center’s security posture against physical threats. We’ll show why data center security is so essential, and cover the main types of threats that data centers must face. Then we’ll list some key components and best practices of data center security, and show how Kastle can help facilities integrate them into their security framework.
Types of Threats to Data Centers
Data centers possess all of the hardware needed to store and transmit a company’s data, so they can come under attack from both physical and cyber threats. Data center companies must use a blend of cybersecurity and physical security measures to protect this data, and they need to understand how the two overlap. Here are the main data center security issues to assess — and the physical security measures that can safeguard against them.
The Cyber Risk of Physical Security Breaches
Defending your organization from cyberattacks largely involves maintaining a robust cybersecurity framework, but part of that includes implementing the appropriate physical security tactics needed to prevent a security breach.
Physical security breaches are one of the key threats that data centers face. If a malicious actor can physically enter a data center, the cyber damage they could inflict would be substantial. For instance, if an attacker gains physical access to a network device, they can connect unauthorized devices (e.g., USB drives) to install malware or steal data. They can also insert hardware keyloggers into on-site keyboards to capture login credentials and sensitive data, or steal a laptop and use it to hack into the system remotely — and the list goes on.
Physical security reduces these risks by using electronic systems like access control, video surveillance, or even live human guards to identify potential threats. They also stratify access permission levels so that only authorized personnel may enter a space. Security measures like these prevent a physical breach of your data center, preventing threat actors from exfiltrating data, planting malicious devices, or damaging expensive hardware.
Insider Threats
While unknown intruders are a serious concern for data center security, some of the most prominent threats to your facility come from the inside. In 2023, more than 200 million records were compromised by external threats, but more than 1 billion were compromised by internal threats.
There are several types of insider threats out there, and understanding the differences can help you defend your data center against each.
- Malicious threats intend to do harm to your data center and may include criminals masquerading as staff or external vendors like cleaning crews, or just disgruntled employees. These situations are challenging because these individuals may have access authority, so their entrance into a space is not an immediate red flag. Video surveillance can be a useful added component to access control for recording visual verification of any misdeeds, even if the person has the access authority to be on site. It gives you visual proof of the activity and who was responsible.
- Negligent threats are those that fail to implement your security policies, leaving your data center exposed. These are best stopped by educating employees on best practices, and disciplining them for repeated violations if necessary.
- Compromised threats are leveraged by another threat actor, perhaps through a social engineering attack. These are best stopped by rigorous physical security solutions such as sensors or video surveillance that can alert administrators if more than one person enters on a single authorized credential scan to prevent “tailgating.”
No matter the form insider threats take, preventing them is a central part of maintaining your data center security. It’s therefore important to identify and assign the appropriate levels — by location, time, and any other key parameters — for each member of your organization or approved visitor.
Environmental Hazards
Environmental hazards present a serious threat to data center security and your business continuity as a whole. They can create outages to power systems, result in massive amounts of data loss, and damage hardware. Some common environmental hazards to protect your data center from are:
- Flooding
- Fires
- Earthquakes
- Tornadoes
- Hurricanes
- Thunderstorms
- Power outages
While you may not be able to safeguard your data center from every natural disaster with a physical security solution, it can help prevent some of them. For example, some sensor-based monitoring systems can be used to activate chemical fire extinguishers if they sense smoke or elevated temperatures due to fire, or trigger backup generators should there be a disruption of electrical service.
Key Components of Data Center Security
Data centers face a wide number of unique challenges to their security. A large perimeter to protect, constant operation with relatively few people on site, and custom security requirements from different clients — these are just a few factors that teams must consider as they form their data center security strategy, so they must implement a comprehensive array of integrated security options to protect their assets from internal and external threat actors. Some key components of your data center security infrastructure are:
- Physical security measures such as biometric scanners and multi-factor authentication (MFA), to prevent unauthorized access and help identify intruders in the event of a breach (adding sensors to HVAC vents and loading docks can also prevent malicious actors from gaining entrance into a space)
- Network security protocols such as microsegmentation or a Zero Trust Architecture, to mitigate cybersecurity vulnerabilities
- Data protection strategies such as card access control systems to determine access credentials into your data center, or video surveillance to monitor occupants’ activity when they’re inside
- Operational security practices such as mandatory staff training, incident response procedures, or granting users only the permissions they need to perform their job
Maintaining the many components involved in your data center security framework can be a difficult task. Leveraging the expertise of a physical security provider can help you assess which vulnerabilities should be addressed, and how best to address them. These companies provide the physical security solutions needed to optimize your building security, freeing you up to drive value across the rest of your operations. They also help create a more seamless security experience for the occupants.
Best Practices for Data Center Security
Following best practices can help you clear many hurdles associated with operating your own data center security framework. Here are a few key best practices:
- Conduct a data center security risk assessment to see which assets and spaces are most vulnerable. This will help you decide which security tools should be implemented at the necessary locations across your premises and determine the level of access each employee should have.
- Implement physical security measures such as video surveillance systems to ensure that authorized occupants are only performing appropriate activities within your facility, and card access control systems, security guards, and biometric scanners to prevent unauthorized entrance.
- Integrate digital security solutions to strengthen your cyber defenses. Possibilities include endpoint protection to secure individual devices such as servers and workstations, firewalls to filter incoming and outgoing traffic, and data encryption at rest and in transit to render any breached data indecipherable.
- Use visitor management software to gain greater visibility into your facility’s traffic flow and assign time-sensitive entry and validation, all while documenting the entrance, exit, and anticipated location of all visitors on the premises. Doing so will let you identify unusual activity, potentially stopping a breach before it occurs.
Another key best practice is to create a uniform set of security policies that elevate your consistency in security. This will help avoid misuse of your system, reducing your risk of a breach.
Security Requirements for Different Data Center Types
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for data center security. The exact security requirements will vary based on your application, any relevant industry standards, and your current data center design. It’s best to consult a security professional like Kastle before you implement your security system so that you can choose the physical security solutions that best fit you.
Fortify Your Digital Fortress: Implementing Robust Data Center Security
From natural disasters and power outages to disgruntled employees and cybercriminals, today’s data centers are subject to both internal and external threats. Building a comprehensive data center security infrastructure requires data center companies to integrate both digital and physical security measures, protecting their most valuable assets from threats on-prem and online.
Kastle provides end-to-end physical security measures to spaces of all types, including data centers. We not only furnish our clients with leading-edge security technology including video surveillance and physical access control systems, but we also offer managed physical security services that allow our customers to offload their security operations entirely. Our team of experienced security experts can help you implement a data center security strategy that safeguards your digital resources and complies with national and global industry standards. Contact us today to see how we can help.
