Genetec is encouraging organizations to adopt stronger credential governance and identity management practices to defend connected physical security systems against evolving AI-driven cyber threats.
Genetec is urging organizations to strengthen credential governance across connected physical security systems as artificial intelligence increases the scale and sophistication of cyber threats.
The company said AI-driven tools are accelerating credential-based attacks by improving their speed, precision and scale. For organizations managing connected cameras, access control systems, servers and cloud services, weak or poorly governed credentials can expose sensitive operations and create additional pathways into networks.
Genetec noted that passwords used to connect directly to devices are often overlooked, despite providing a direct point of entry if not properly managed. The company said relying solely on periodic password changes or basic cyber hygiene practices is no longer enough in the current threat environment.
“AI is changing the speed and scale of cyber risk,” said Mathieu Chevalier. “Attackers can now move faster and are using AI to impersonate people, tailor social engineering attacks, uncover vulnerabilities at scale, and evade detection. To respond, organizations need to actively govern access and identity across their systems, not just set controls once and hope they hold.”
According to the recent Genetec Enterprise Physical Security in the Cloud Era research, which included insights from more than 7,300 physical security professionals worldwide, 58.7% of organizations reported an increase in phishing and smishing attacks. Additionally, 41% said they experienced a rise in overall physical or cyber incidents, while 43.5% identified social engineering as a leading attack vector.
Ahead of World Password Day, Genetec encouraged organizations to adopt a governance-first approach to identity management in physical security environments.
The company recommended strengthening identity and credential controls by eliminating default and shared credentials, enforcing stronger authentication methods such as passkeys and implementing multi-factor authentication. Genetec also advised organizations to replace static passwords with certificate-based authentication where possible and maintain centralized credential management with regular rotation practices.
Genetec further emphasized the importance of closer collaboration between IT and physical security teams to apply consistent security standards, improve visibility into access risks and coordinate incident response efforts as physical security systems become increasingly connected to enterprise networks.
The company also said organizations should manage physical security infrastructure with the same level of rigor as other mission-critical systems through regular access reviews, controlled updates and partnerships with trusted technology providers focused on long-term security and operational resilience.