S 1.55 Perimeter protection

Initiation responsibility: Management

Implementation responsibility: Architect

If the building or computer centre is located in a site on which additional security facilities could be installed, action should be taken to keep any threats originating from outside away from the computer centre.

In particular, the first stage of a system designed to control access by pedestrians and especially by vehicles can be created here.

Depending on the protection requirement and the topology of the site, perimeter protection can consist of the following components:

• External means of enclosure e.g. fence, wall and fence surveillance

This provides

• protection against accidental trespass beyond the property boundary,

• protection against accidental crossing of the property boundary without force and

• protection against intentional crossing of the property boundary by force.

• Outdoor security measures, e.g. landscaping, vehicle access barriers, illumination of the grounds and the building, surveillance companies, video surveillance and sensors positioned on the grounds

Such devices provide protection against unobserved access by an intruder in the area between the perimeter and the building.

• External person and vehicle identification, e.g. video-intercom systems, personal airlocks, vehicle air locks, door and gate controls and access control units

This provides protection against detectable (visually, acoustically or using sensor technology) unauthorised attempts at access as a first stage of the access control concept. These roles can be supported with an entrance control service (see also S 1.17 Entrance control service).

Before perimeter protection safeguards are implemented, in every case a unified protection concept which covers the aspects mentioned above and also building protection must be drawn up. Otherwise there is a danger that relatively expensive security measures, for example expensive fencing systems and sophisticated video surveillance of the grounds, will be adopted which are out of proportion to the protection of the building and therefore unreasonable.

The protection concept should be aimed at achieving the most effective protective measures possible with the resources that are available. This concerns especially the area of perimeter protection. The safeguards taken in this area should increase overall security and not merely convey the image of a "high-security backdrop", as a professional intruder is unlikely to be to deterred simply by the sight of high fences and video surveillance.

Example

If an attacker needs two minutes to get over the fence and up to the building and then only half a minute to penetrate the building there is something wrong, especially if, for example, it takes eight minutes for the local police to arrive after the alarm has been raised by a private security firm. By this point in time an intruder could already have left the grounds, having completed his mission. He would have been detected and recorded on the video, but if he is wearing a mask identification is unlikely.

Additional controls:

• Is there a protection concept which covers both perimeter protection and also building protection.