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What Keeps You Up at Night?
An ST&D reader survey looks at the top concerns of today's security directorsThe Latest from SIW
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By Steve Lasky
Security Technology & Design
In December, Security Technology & Design surveyed a select group of readers to find out what keeps them up at night. We asked the survey group 10 questions about their most pressing concerns, ranging from technology to management issues.
Their answers demonstrated a growing partnership between physical and logical security managers and a welcoming attitude toward convergence, but they also showed significant stress about budgets and maintenance issues, as well as executive support. While software and network issues seem to be front of mind for many of our readers, the survey also highlighted the fact that many security directors are just as concerned about their manned guard force issues.
The Big Question
When it came to the big question, “What keeps you up at night?” the majority of the responses revolved around systems interoperability and technology, but the total response pool spanned a wide range of topics. So what does keep the average security director up at night?
• “Compliance with policies, procedures and our corporate code of ethics.”
• “A lack of quality and qualified integrators; an industry which doesn't understand enterprise management or networked systems.”
• “Network reliability.”
• “Loss through or because of technology.”
• “System stability.”
• “Executive buy-in for implementing an enterprise-wide security model.”
• “Education that security is everybody's business.”
• “Workplace violence.”
• “Budget!”
• “Having enough available staff.”
• “Low pay for officers equals high turnover.”
• “That there will be an incident no matter what precautions are in place.”
So Happy Together?
When asked about cooperation between IT and physical security departments, the majority, 56%, said their IT department is a partner in achieving their security goals. Still, 20% of the respondents said they have no involvement with the IT department, and 17% claimed IT actually presents a hindrance to their security performance.
Automate Away
End users were asked which labor-intensive task they would automate away given the opportunity. Most of our readers mentioned ID and reporting tasks as their prime candidates. Here are some of the other tasks our security professionals most want taken off their to-do list.
• “Keeping track of contracted employees.”
• “SOX compliance documentation for badging & access.”
• “Documenting large systems—they should be self documenting, including graphics.”
• “Alarm and report integration.”
• “Visitor system integrated with the security access system.”
• “Guard reporting requirements.”
• “Nightly badge audits.”
• “Remote access control of service gate entrance at night.”
Middling on Bio/Smart Options
When we asked about fraudulent credentials in their facilities, only 42% of those surveyed said they are concerned enough about this possibility to consider using biometrics or smart cards to prevent it. Thirty-one percent indicated they would not use either credential option, and another 24% remained undecided.
