For years, physical security sat outside most technology discussions.
CCTV, access controls and alarms were typically managed by facilities or security teams, purchased independently from the wider IT estate and reviewed only when equipment reached the end of its life.
That separation no longer reflects how organizations operate.
GM and VP EMEA at Verkada.
Modern physical security systems run on cloud platforms, connect with enterprise networks, generate vast amounts of operational data and increasingly rely on artificial intelligence to help people find information faster and respond more effectively.
They have become part of the technology ecosystem that organizations depend on every day, bringing them firmly onto the CIO's agenda.
Physical security is fast becoming another connected enterprise platform for businesses, and technology leaders have a growing role in deciding how these systems are deployed, integrated and governed.
Physical and cyber security are becoming inseparable
One of the biggest changes for physical security is that organizations can no longer treat physical and cyber security as separate risks. Security incidents increasingly span both worlds.
A compromised badge, an unsecured entrance or unauthorized access to a building can quickly become a cybersecurity incident if attackers gain access to corporate devices or networks.
Likewise, cyber attacks can disable physical security infrastructure, affecting everything from access control to video surveillance.
Red team exercises regularly demonstrate how closely these risks are linked. In one example, a team posing as contract cleaners entered an office building, connected to the corporate network and remained inside for hours before being challenged.
From a cybersecurity perspective, every firewall and endpoint protection system was functioning exactly as intended. The weakness was physical access.
Most organizations have invested heavily in protecting their digital perimeter. Yet, if someone can simply walk through the front door and reach critical IT infrastructure, those investments become significantly less effective.
That is why conversations about enterprise resilience increasingly involve both CIOs and CISOs alongside physical security leaders. Protecting the organization now requires a joined-up view of people, places, devices and data.
Legacy systems are becoming harder to justify
CIOs should be just as invested in physical security as digital security. However, many organizations still rely on physical security infrastructure that was designed for a very different era. On-premise video management systems often require dedicated servers, regular software upgrades, specialist maintenance and significant time from internal IT teams.
As estates grow, so does the complexity of managing multiple vendors, ageing hardware and disconnected systems across different locations.
For many CIOs, this creates a familiar problem. Technology teams are expected to modernize infrastructure, reduce operational complexity and improve resilience, yet physical security frequently remains outside those programs despite facing the same challenges as other legacy technology.
The discussion should no longer focus solely on the upfront cost of replacing equipment. Total cost of ownership matters just as much. Maintaining ageing systems often consumes far more time, budget and internal resources than organizations initially expect.
Cloud-based platforms offer a different operating model. Software updates happen automatically, systems can be managed centrally across multiple sites and organizations gain greater visibility without continually investing in new infrastructure.
For IT leaders already overseeing cloud migration across other business systems, extending that thinking to physical security becomes a logical next step.
Physical security provides value far beyond security
CIOs shouldn’t just be interested in physical security from an organization defense perspective - there is also a lot of digital value in the large amount of data produced by these modern physical security systems.
Historically, organizations reviewed security footage after an incident had taken place. Today, AI-powered search and analytics mean that video, access events and environmental sensors can provide instant operational insight across the business.
Retailers can better understand what’s happening in stores, whether it’s queue wait times or occupancy trends, and adjust staffing schedules accordingly. Manufacturers can identify operational bottlenecks or prevent health and safety incidents with real-time alerts.
Facilities teams can understand building usage and gain a clearer picture of how workplaces function throughout the day. None of these outcomes replace human judgement or intervention, but rather empower those workers with hard data rather than forcing them to rely on anecdotal feeling when it comes to how buildings and systems are being used.
The organizations seeing the greatest value are those treating physical security as another enterprise data source rather than an isolated security system.
AI raises the importance of governance
As AI capabilities continue to evolve, governance becomes even more important. The ability to search video using natural language, automate investigations or surface relevant events can significantly improve productivity.
At the same time, organizations need confidence that these capabilities are deployed responsibly, with appropriate controls around privacy, access permissions and data retention. Those are familiar challenges for CIOs.
Across the enterprise, technology leaders are already establishing governance frameworks for AI, assessing risk, managing vendors and ensuring compliance with evolving regulation. Physical security should not sit outside those conversations simply because it has traditionally belonged to another department.
Like every other enterprise platform, it needs clear ownership, defined policies and ongoing oversight. Physical security has changed significantly over the past decade. It is no longer just about protecting buildings. It supports business continuity, operational efficiency and organizational resilience while generating data that can help organizations make better decisions.
As those capabilities continue to expand, CIOs have an opportunity to ensure physical security evolves alongside the rest of the technology estate. The organizations that take that approach will be better equipped to manage risk, simplify operations and build a more resilient business for the years ahead.
Looking for the best cloud storage? These are our top picks.
This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.
The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit