IT SECURITY
Physical security in IT environments
Created by: María Parres & Unai Pardo
START_
Index
References
Location
Environment
Order
Protections
References
Internet
Notes
Location
The installation should be placed on a stable floor, preferably the intermediate one, away from areas prone to flooding and protected from hazards such as water pipes or vibrations from heavy traffic.Secure placement reduces the chance of physical damage and environmental hazards.
References:https://aules.edu.gva.es/fp/mod/page/view.php?id=8788426 Point 4.1 Location of PCs and servers. ChatGPT: Practical examples.
Examples
Environment
Temperature must be maintained between 18–27 °C with relative humidity of 40–60 % to ensure equipment reliability. Proper HVAC systems help prevent overheating, condensation, and static electricity, creating a stable and safe operational environment.
Reference:https://aules.edu.gva.es/fp/mod/page/view.php?id=8788426 ChatGPT: Practical examples. The point 2: Types of security,active or passive (physic and logic)
Example 1.
Example 2.
Order
Order
Order and organization are key to keep safe and efficient IT environments. Proper cable management prevents accidents, overheating, and makes maintenance easier. Clear and tidy spaces reduce risks and allow faster responses to incidents. Identifying cables and equipment clearly helps prevent mistakes and speeds up maintenance.
Practical examples Example 1:
In a data center, organized cables help quickly find mistakes and prevent equipment overheating. Example 2:
In an office, organized cables reduce trip hazards and make it easy to add or change devices.
Aquí puedes incluir un dato relevante a destacar
Protections
Protections
Physical protections in IT environments help keep systems safe and available.Access is restricted with locks, smart cards, or biometrics, and CCTV provides constant monitoring. Mantraps prevent unauthorized entry. Fire is controlled with sensors and gas-based suppression instead of water. Water leaks are detected with water sensors, while raised racks and floors protect equipment and improve cooling.
Risks
Examples
THE END
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Return to start_
Practical examples
Example 1:A server room uses smart card access controls and CCTV to ensure only authorized personnel enter and to monitor suspicious activity.Example 2:A data center has smoke detectors and a gas-based fire suppression system, along with raised floors to prevent damage from water leaks and improve cooling.
Practical examples
Example 1:If there is a flood it will not reach the middle floor and being on that floor it will not be heated by the sun. Example 2:If a pipe bursts, if it is far from the servers, it will not break because of the water.
Practical examples
Example 1:A CPD in a government environmental agency had smart HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) connected to the network but without proper cybersecurity controls (e.g., default passwords, open ports).Hackers accessed the HVAC system,they turned off cooling, causing temperature to rise above 35 °C and humidity to exceed 70%.Several servers overheated, causing data loss and service downtime. ✅ Solution (After)Implemented network segmentation, isolating HVAC systems from public networks.Enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA) for HVAC system access.Set up real-time environmental monitoring alerts with automated shutdown protocols when critical thresholds are breached.
Practical examples
Example 2: A mid-sized CPD experienced a cooling unit failure overnight. The temperature slowly rose to 29 °C and humidity hit 65%, but no immediate alert was triggered due to lack of thresholds or escalation procedures.By morning, hardware performance had degraded,the data center faced system throttling and potential drive failure. ✅ Solution (After)Installed a security informatics platform that:Actively monitors temperature and humidity.Sends real-time alerts when readings exceed 27 °C or 60% humidity.Automatically initiates safe shutdowns if no operator responds within a set time.
Risks and solutions
Risk: Unauthorized access Solution: Use locks, smart cards, biometrics, and mantraps Risk: Unmonitored activities Solution: Install CCTV for constant surveillance Risk: Fire damage Solution: Use fire sensors and gas-based suppression systems (no water)
Physical security in IT environments
Unai Pardo Fernández
Created on September 18, 2025
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Transcript
IT SECURITY
Physical security in IT environments
Created by: María Parres & Unai Pardo
START_
Index
References
Location
Environment
Order
Protections
References
Internet
Notes
Location
The installation should be placed on a stable floor, preferably the intermediate one, away from areas prone to flooding and protected from hazards such as water pipes or vibrations from heavy traffic.Secure placement reduces the chance of physical damage and environmental hazards.
References:https://aules.edu.gva.es/fp/mod/page/view.php?id=8788426 Point 4.1 Location of PCs and servers. ChatGPT: Practical examples.
Examples
Environment
Temperature must be maintained between 18–27 °C with relative humidity of 40–60 % to ensure equipment reliability. Proper HVAC systems help prevent overheating, condensation, and static electricity, creating a stable and safe operational environment.
Reference:https://aules.edu.gva.es/fp/mod/page/view.php?id=8788426 ChatGPT: Practical examples. The point 2: Types of security,active or passive (physic and logic)
Example 1.
Example 2.
Order
Order
Order and organization are key to keep safe and efficient IT environments. Proper cable management prevents accidents, overheating, and makes maintenance easier. Clear and tidy spaces reduce risks and allow faster responses to incidents. Identifying cables and equipment clearly helps prevent mistakes and speeds up maintenance.
Practical examples Example 1: In a data center, organized cables help quickly find mistakes and prevent equipment overheating. Example 2: In an office, organized cables reduce trip hazards and make it easy to add or change devices.
Aquí puedes incluir un dato relevante a destacar
Protections
Protections
Physical protections in IT environments help keep systems safe and available.Access is restricted with locks, smart cards, or biometrics, and CCTV provides constant monitoring. Mantraps prevent unauthorized entry. Fire is controlled with sensors and gas-based suppression instead of water. Water leaks are detected with water sensors, while raised racks and floors protect equipment and improve cooling.
Risks
Examples
THE END
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Return to start_
Practical examples
Example 1:A server room uses smart card access controls and CCTV to ensure only authorized personnel enter and to monitor suspicious activity.Example 2:A data center has smoke detectors and a gas-based fire suppression system, along with raised floors to prevent damage from water leaks and improve cooling.
Practical examples
Example 1:If there is a flood it will not reach the middle floor and being on that floor it will not be heated by the sun. Example 2:If a pipe bursts, if it is far from the servers, it will not break because of the water.
Practical examples
Example 1:A CPD in a government environmental agency had smart HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) connected to the network but without proper cybersecurity controls (e.g., default passwords, open ports).Hackers accessed the HVAC system,they turned off cooling, causing temperature to rise above 35 °C and humidity to exceed 70%.Several servers overheated, causing data loss and service downtime. ✅ Solution (After)Implemented network segmentation, isolating HVAC systems from public networks.Enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA) for HVAC system access.Set up real-time environmental monitoring alerts with automated shutdown protocols when critical thresholds are breached.
Practical examples
Example 2: A mid-sized CPD experienced a cooling unit failure overnight. The temperature slowly rose to 29 °C and humidity hit 65%, but no immediate alert was triggered due to lack of thresholds or escalation procedures.By morning, hardware performance had degraded,the data center faced system throttling and potential drive failure. ✅ Solution (After)Installed a security informatics platform that:Actively monitors temperature and humidity.Sends real-time alerts when readings exceed 27 °C or 60% humidity.Automatically initiates safe shutdowns if no operator responds within a set time.
Risks and solutions
Risk: Unauthorized access Solution: Use locks, smart cards, biometrics, and mantraps Risk: Unmonitored activities Solution: Install CCTV for constant surveillance Risk: Fire damage Solution: Use fire sensors and gas-based suppression systems (no water)