Prevent, Deter or Detect?

About this interactive

Security controls come in several types: preventive, deterrent, detective, corrective, compensating and directive. The Physical Access Control lesson notes that physical access control mostly uses the first three. Preventive: stops the act. Bollards that stop a vehicle, an access control vestibule that lets one person through at a time, walls that block signals, reflective glass that stops people seeing in, safes and locked lockers. Deterrent: puts people off trying, without stopping them. Warning signs, notices of searches or patrols, a guard placed where would-be thieves can see her. Detective: notices or records that something happened. Pressure plates and infrared, microwave or ultrasonic sensors, tamper seals, access logs from badge readers, metal detectors, scans for stray wireless signals. Many controls do more than one job. A guard can deter, stop and notice; the video calls a vestibule a deterrent too, though its main job is preventing a second person getting through. So each card here names the one job the control is doing in that moment, and that is the job to sort it by. A quick test for each card: does it stop the act, discourage the attempt, or notice it?

What you'll learn

Classify a physical security control by the job it does: preventive controls stop the act, deterrent controls discourage the attempt, detective controls notice or record it
Recognize the physical measures the lesson names (bollards, vestibules, signal-blocking walls, warning signs, sensors, tamper seals, access logs, metal detectors) by the job each does

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

1.1 Compare and contrast various types of security controls.

1.2 Summarize fundamental security concepts.

NIST 800-53

PE-3 Physical Access Control

PE-6 Monitoring Physical Access

Key terms

Preventative Control: A security control designed to stop a threat or incident from occurring in the first place. Firewalls, encryption, and access control policies are common examples of preventative controls.
Deterrent Control: A security control that discourages threat actors from attempting an attack by making the environment appear more difficult or risky to compromise. Warning banners, visible cameras, and security signage are common deterrent controls.
Detective Control: A security control that identifies and alerts on security incidents or anomalous activity as they occur or after the fact. Intrusion detection systems, security logs, and audit trails are examples of detective controls.
Bollards: Heavy cylindrical barriers installed to prevent vehicles from accessing or ramming into a protected area.
Access Control Vestibule: A physical security entry point consisting of two interlocked doors — the first must close and lock before the second can open — ensuring only one person passes through at a time and preventing unauthorized tailgating into a secure facility.
Tamper Detection: A mechanism or technology used to indicate whether a product, device, or system has been accessed or altered without authorization.

Topics

Physical Security Security Controls Interactive Categorize

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