The Importance of Physical Penetration Testing for An Organization’s Security

What is a Physical Penetration Test?

A physical penetration test is a process in which a tester identifies and exploits vulnerabilities within an organization’s physical barriers and controls to gain unauthorized access to a physical location.  This type of test is designed to assess the effectiveness of an organization’s physical security infrastructure and protocols and identify areas for improvement. 

While physical penetration testing is an important part of an organization’s overall security program, it is overlooked by many companies and organizations for many reasons; having a third party identify and exploit critical physical security vulnerabilities can challenge entrenched organizational norms as well as stakeholders’ beliefs regarding the company’s security posture.  For these reasons, and others, companies may tend to focus on the cybersecurity side of the house when it comes to penetration testing. 

Goals of Physical Penetration Testing

The goals of a physical penetration test are to identify vulnerabilities in physical security controls, assess the effectiveness of the organization’s current physical security protocols, and to provide recommendations for improving physical security. These goals provide numerous benefits to an organization including, but not limited to, enhanced situational awareness, risk mitigation, and cost savings.

• Enhanced Situational Awareness – Physical penetration testing raises security awareness among employees and management, encouraging them to take proactive measures to improve physical security.
• Risk Mitigation – Testing helps mitigate the risk of physical security breaches, which can lead to data theft, damage to equipment, or disruption of business operations.
• Cost Savings – Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities through this test can save organizations significant costs in the long run by preventing unauthorized access to their facilities which can cause damage to their reputation.

Three Key Aspects of a Physical Penetration Test

1. Identifying Vulnerabilities
   • The tester attempts to identify weaknesses in physical security infrastructure and controls such as locks, fences, security guards, cameras, access control procedures, and other potentially exploitable security components.
2. Exploiting Vulnerabilities
   • The tester uses the identified vulnerabilities to gain physical access to restricted areas and sensitive information.  
3. Assessing Physical Security Controls
   • Based on the results of Step 2 – Exploiting Vulnerabilities – the tester evaluates the effectiveness of physical security controls and identifies areas where they can be improved. 

Phases of a Physical Penetration Test

• Phase 1: Planning and Discussion
  • This is one of the most important parts of the physical penetration Test, as these discussions will identify an organization’s needs and objectives.  This discussion will also illuminate if the test is being done to fulfill an organization’s regulatory requirements and to determine the goals they wish to achieve based on current threats and scenarios they are concerned about.  All this can be done by defining the scope, cost, rules, and authorizations of the test itself.  
    • Scope – This defines the boundaries and depth of the assessment, ensuring that the test is focused on the specific areas of concern utilizing the right target models.
    • Cost – This test can range based on several factors including number of sites, duration of the test, type of test, experience level of the tester, travel expenses, equipment and materials, and the scope of the test.
    • Rules – This would outline the boundaries of the test, including the types of activities that are allowed or prohibited, and the level of disruption that is acceptable.
    • Authorization – The client organization provides explicit consent for the physical penetration test to be conducted, allowing the testers to access the organization’s premises, facilities, and assets.  This ensures that the test is done legally and ethically, in accordance with the agreed upon rules, and does not result in unnecessary disruption or damage to the organization’s operations or assets.
• Phase 2: Information Gathering
  • The use of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Surveillance play a critical role in gathering information prior to the actual test itself.  The use of OSINT utilizes publicly available information to identify nearby areas to be used for surveillance, online photos and videos that may reveal security protocols such as the design and features of employee badges, and positions and titles of employees.  All the information discovered using OSINT can be validated and verified during the test and may show additional vulnerabilities of the organization.  
  • Surveillance is used to build a pattern of life for the target by observing and documenting daily occurrences and routines around the target location.  The tester will look for potential vulnerabilities within the patterns of employees, janitorial services, security personnel, and deliveries made to the target.  
• Phase 3: Execution
  • The tester will attempt to gain access to the target location utilizing various techniques such as tailgating, exploration of vulnerabilities, employee assistance, or the use of a physical disguise.  While this list is not all inclusive and there are many more methodologies that may be used, these are the most common.  Each test would require a variety of these methods using creative solutions.
    • Tailgating – The tester may follow an authorized person into the location, taking advantage of the fact that many people do not check who is behind them when entering a secure area.  
    • Exploration of Vulnerabilities – The tester may identify and exploit vulnerabilities in the physical security controls, such as weak doors, unlocked windows, or unsecured areas.  Other areas that may provide access to a sensitive area are uncontrolled fire escapes.  These are typically identified during surveillance of the target and can vary from site to site.
    • Employee Assistance – The tester may enlist help of an employee who has authorized access to the location, either by bribing or persuading them to provide access; employees may actively help the physical penetration tester – a witting participant or help the tester without realizing that they are doing so – an unwitting participant.   
    • Physical Disguise – The tester may use uniforms or props from delivery services or third-party vendor services identified at the target location.  This enables the tester to blend in with authorized personnel and gain access to the locations being tested.

• Phase 4:  Report Findings
  • Once the test is complete, the testing firm will give a comprehensive report to the client organization including all vulnerabilities found, methodologies used, what the testers were able to do, how they did it, and, most importantly, ways the client can mitigate the security vulnerabilities identified in the test.  At the request of the client, these reports can be tailored to a digestible format such as broken down by department or function.  As stated above, the report would give recommended actions to be taken to fix the identified vulnerabilities.

Conducting a physical penetration test is a great way to provide your organization and employees with peace of mind, as well as evaluate your security infrastructure and protocols. For a custom, tailored solution to your organization’s needs from experienced professionals, contact Convoy Group to learn more about setting up a physical penetration test.