5.4 - Internal Support Systems

When dealing with physical security, consideration for support services must be considered. This is done because malfunctions or disruption could negatively affect the organization in many ways.

For example, in August of 2003, eight East Coast states (and parts of Canada) lost power for several days. During the investigation, there were rumors of a worm causing this disruption; however, the official report attributed it to a software bug in GE Energy’s XA/21 system. This left over 50 million people without power for days and resulted in four nuclear power plants being shut down. Security professionals must be able to handle both the smaller issues, such as power surges or sags, and the massive issues, such as what happened in the United States and Canada on August 14, 2003 when dealing with organizations.

• Electric Power
• Protecting power can be done in three ways: through UPSs, power line conditioners, and backup sources.

• Environmental Issues
• Improper environmental controls can cause damage to services, hardware, lives, and interruption of some services can cause unpredictable results.
• Maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity is important in any facility, especially facilities with computer systems. Improper levels of either can cause damage to computers and electrical devices. High humidity can cause corrosion, and low humidity can cause excessive static electricity. This static electricity can short out devices, cause the loss of information, or provide amusing entertainment for unsuspecting employees.

• Ventilation
• Ventilation has several requirements that must be met to ensure a safe and comfortable environment.
• A closed-loop recirculating air-conditioning system should be installed to maintain air quality. This means the air within the building is reused after it has been properly filtered, instead of bringing outside air in.
• Positive pressurization and ventilation should also be implemented to control contamination. Positive pressurization means that when an employee opens a door, the air goes out, and outside air does not come in. 

• Fire Prevention, Detection, and Suppression
• Fire prevention includes training employees on how to react properly when faced with a fire, supplying the right equipment and ensuring it is in working order, making sure there is an easily reachable fire suppression supply, and storing combustible elements in the proper manner. 
• Fire Detection includes the manual detection, such as, red pull boxes response systems seen on many building walls. These automatic detection response systems are built with sensors that react when they detect the presence of fire or smoke.
• Fire suppression is the use of a suppression agent to put out a fire. This takes place manually through handheld portable extinguishers, or via automated systems such as water sprinkler systems, or halon or CO2 discharge systems.