Most people think about hackers going after credit cards or customer databases. But your access control system? Your camera network? Those are targets too. And when they get compromised, the consequences look different than a typical data breach; they're often worse.
The short answer: Attackers can unlock doors remotely, disable cameras during break-ins, or use your security infrastructure as a backdoor into your corporate network. Physical security systems are increasingly IP-connected, which means they carry the same vulnerabilities as any other networked device, except they control access to your actual buildings.
Why Would Anyone Hack a Door Lock?
Because it's easier than you think, and the payoff is real.
Remember the casino that got breached through a connected fish tank thermometer? Once attackers were inside the network, they moved laterally until they found what they wanted. Physical security devices work the same way. An IP camera with default credentials or an access control system running outdated firmware becomes the entry point.
The thing is, most organizations treat physical security systems like appliances. You install them, they work, and then you forget about them. Meanwhile, your IT team is patching servers and rotating credentials monthly. That disconnect is exactly what attackers count on.
What Can Actually Go Wrong
Camera Systems
Video management systems run on networks, often with remote access enabled for monitoring. When these get compromised, attackers can manipulate footage, disable recording, or simply watch your operations in real-time to plan their next move. The problem? Most VMS platforms aren't monitored the same way your servers are. No one's checking system logs daily or running vulnerability scans on the camera network.
Access Control
Once someone gains access to your access control platform, they can create credentials, modify access rights, or pull reports showing movement patterns throughout your facility. The system logs everything as legitimate activity because technically, it is – just initiated by the wrong person. Some systems integrate directly with HR databases for automatic provisioning, which means a compromise isn't limited to just doors opening.
The Network Pivot
This is the one IT teams actually worry about. Your physical security devices are connected to your network. Sometimes, on the same network as everything else because segmentation is expensive and nobody budgeted for it when the system was installed.
Attackers don't always care about your cameras. They care that your cameras are an easy way into your network. One compromised device with weak credentials becomes the foothold for lateral movement. From there, it's a straight shot to servers, databases, or anything else connected.
The Part Nobody Talks About: Insider Threats
External hackers are one problem. Insider threats such as disgruntled employees or contractors with system access, are another.
Someone with admin rights to your access control platform can do significant damage before anyone notices. They can export databases. They can create phantom credentials. They can pull detailed reports on executive movements.
Most organizations audit their cybersecurity privileges regularly. How often are you auditing who has admin rights to your physical security systems?
What Actually Needs to Happen
Here's where things get uncomfortable: fixing this requires physical and cyber security teams to work together, and most organizations aren't structured for that.
Start with the basics:
- Treat physical security systems like IT assets. Patch them. Update firmware. Rotate credentials.
- Segment your networks. Cameras and card readers shouldn't be on the same network as your accounting system.
- Monitor your physical security infrastructure the same way you monitor servers. Log analysis, alert on anomalies, and investigate configuration changes.
Then get serious about convergence:
Your security operations center (SOC) team needs visibility into your physical security systems. Not just "the alarm went off," but actual system health, failed login attempts, and configuration changes. When someone attempts unauthorized access to your VMS, it should trigger an alert just like suspicious network activity does.
This is why HiveWatch built the GSOC OS with SOC 2 compliance and network security as core requirements, not afterthoughts. Physical security platforms need to meet the same standards as any other enterprise software, including regular penetration testing, encrypted data transmission, role-based access control, and the whole package.
Why This Matters
Physical security systems getting hacked isn't some distant, theoretical risk. It's happening, and it's usually the result of treating these systems differently than you'd treat any other part of your infrastructure.
The fix isn't complicated, but it does require acknowledging that physical and cyber security aren't separate anymore. They're two sides of the same problem. The organizations that figure this out early are going to be in much better shape than the ones still treating their access control system like a box on the wall.
Want to see how your physical security infrastructure stacks up from a cybersecurity perspective? Request a demo to see how unified security operations actually work.
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