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World desk5 min

Connected Physical Security Is Now an IT Planning Issue

Connected physical-security systems now intersect with cybersecurity, IT/OT operations, cloud architecture and data governance—bringing CIOs into decisions without making them the universal owners.
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CIOs are paying closer attention to physical security because cameras, access-control systems, alarms and sensors are now connected parts of the technology estate. Their networks, data, vendors and cloud services can affect cybersecurity, privacy and operational resilience. That does not mean CIOs have universally taken ownership of physical security; it means the function increasingly needs to be planned alongside IT, with security and facilities specialists involved.

Why physical security now concerns CIOs

Connected equipment creates cyber-physical exposure

Modern cameras, video-management platforms, access systems and sensors exchange data over networks and may integrate with identity, cloud and incident-management services. The boundary between a building-security system and the wider technology environment is therefore less clear than it was when equipment operated in isolation. The Security Industry Association describes this convergence as a consequence of connected systems and shared organizational goals (SIA’s convergence report).

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The risk can run in either direction. A person who gains access to a facility or device might use removable media to introduce malware; CISA’s 2021 Cybersecurity and Physical Security Convergence Guide documents that kind of attack path. Conversely, a cyber incident affecting connected infrastructure could interfere with video or access-control operations. These are plausible pathways, not evidence that every facility faces the same exposure or that physical access is a common initial cause of cyber incidents.

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IT and OT risks overlap with business continuity

Industrial and other operational environments link digital networks to systems that affect physical processes. In Cisco’s 2024 survey of more than 1,000 professionals across 17 countries and 20 industry sectors, 89% of respondents said cybersecurity compliance was very or extremely important, while 41% said IT and OT teams worked independently. Cisco also reported that 63% had increased industrial-infrastructure spending in the preceding year. These are survey findings, not universal measures of how organizations operate (Cisco’s survey announcement).

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Gartner’s public abstract for its 2023 IT/OT Alignment and Integration Survey, published in February 2024, says 87% of respondents rated cybersecurity highly important to IT/OT alignment. The same abstract says no single organizational structure dominates IT/OT management (Gartner’s published summary). The practical message is not that there is one correct reporting line, but that security and operational dependencies need to be coordinated.

Modernization, maintenance and data add to the agenda

Older physical-security estates can involve ageing hardware, disconnected systems, specialist maintenance and repeated integration work. Those costs and dependencies belong in infrastructure planning, alongside other modernization priorities. SIA discusses ageing infrastructure and upgrade-funding difficulties; they are not proof that every organization has the same cost problem.

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Video, access events and sensor readings can also support investigations and operational analysis—for example, understanding how facilities are used or spotting process issues. SIA and Genetec describe AI and cross-functional data use as areas of interest. These applications require appropriate access controls and human oversight: analytics do not automatically produce accurate conclusions, improve security or justify collecting more data.

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What the evidence says about ownership and investment

Greater CIO attention does not establish that IT owns every physical-security decision. The available survey findings instead point to collaboration and divided responsibility:

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  • Collaboration: Genetec’s 2025 State of Physical Security report says 77% of end-user respondents reported that physical-security and IT departments work collaboratively. More than half of end users, systems integrators and consultants said IT teams were actively involved in physical-security purchasing. Genetec collected responses from August 12 to September 15, 2024; this is vendor-sponsored research (Genetec’s 2025 report).
  • Budgets: EY’s 2026 pulse poll reports that 79% of organizations increased physical-security budgets compared with 2024. For physical-threat intelligence budget ownership, it reports chief security officers at 29%, IT/CISOs at 27%, operations/COOs at 18%, and shared or converged ownership at 18% (EY’s pulse-poll page). These figures describe that poll, not a settled industry-wide allocation of responsibility.

Together, the findings support a limited conclusion: IT is increasingly involved in a domain with material technology dependencies, while ownership remains distributed. The CIO’s useful contribution is often to make the interfaces clear—who sets technical requirements, who approves access and retention policies, who manages vendors, and who coordinates response—rather than to take over the security function.

How to make the CIO’s role practical

A workable governance model brings IT and cybersecurity together with physical-security professionals, facilities, operations, privacy or legal teams, and business owners. Define responsibilities before a procurement or incident forces an improvised decision.

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  • 【AI Motion Detection 2.0】Driving AI to the next level, human&vehicle detection and flexible detection area are more accurate than before. For quicker locating in crucial moments, human&vehicle smart searching in recordings offers you great help.
  • 【Tried-and-True Safe Guard】This one-stop security solution can work with TVI, AHD, CVI, CVBS & IP cameras, the kit includes 1080P cams. The 8CH 3K lite DVR can hook up with 1080P@30fps or 3K/5MP@20fps cams. Therefore, you can also DIY it with other cameras in your home.
  • 【Reliable 24/7 Continuous Recording】With a pre-installed 1TB HDD(Support up to 10TB HDD), providing 24/7 surveillance recording for you. Upgraded H.265+ saves more storage space and uses less bandwidth, recording videos longer and smoother viewing.
  • 【Smart Dual-Light Effectively Guard Your Home】This newly upgraded security system offers you a crisp full color night vision, IR mode and color night vision switch flexibly. Once detect intruders, immediate pushes pop up on your phone, securing your peace of mind day&night.
  • 【Color Night Vision & IP67 Weatherproof】Built-in IR lights and white lights, these cameras can see up to 100ft in B&W night vision, full-color night vision up to 66ft. Rated IP67, these wired cameras can brave all weather, and stand from cold to hot.
  • Inventory connected systems: Record cameras, recorders, access controllers, sensors, integrations, network connections, vendors and support arrangements. Include system owners and lifecycle status.
  • Set technical guardrails: Agree how systems are segmented, authenticated, patched, monitored and connected to enterprise identity or incident-response tools. Account for operational requirements and the consequences of outages.
  • Agree data rules: Specify who can view footage and logs, how access is approved and audited, how long data is retained, and what policies or legal obligations apply. Avoid collecting or sharing data without a defined purpose.
  • Plan joint incident response: Decide how physical-security, IT, facilities and operations teams will coordinate if a device is compromised, a site loses connectivity, or an access-control or video service becomes unavailable.
  • Include specialists in purchasing: IT can assess architecture, identity, network and vendor risks; physical-security and facilities teams can validate coverage, workflows and safe operating requirements. Neither perspective substitutes for the other.
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Choosing cloud, hybrid or on-premises deployment

Deployment architecture is a consequential choice, but there is no universally best option. Genetec’s 2025 report, based on responses collected in 2024, says 43% of end users envisioned hybrid deployment as their preferred approach within five years, compared with 18% for fully cloud-based and 17% for fully on-premises systems. These are vendor-survey preferences, not measured outcomes or a recommendation for every organization.

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Approach Questions to evaluate
Hybrid Which functions and data stay local, and which are hosted remotely? Does the division fit existing equipment, connectivity, resilience needs and policy?
Fully cloud-based Where are footage, credentials and logs stored and processed? What happens during a connectivity interruption, and how are access, retention, vendor dependency and ongoing costs controlled?
On-premises Can the organization sustain local infrastructure, upgrades, backups and specialist support across sites? How will remote access, integrations and lifecycle costs be managed?

Compare options against the same criteria: data location and control, availability during network disruption, integration with identity and incident response, operational burden across sites, migration and lifecycle cost, privacy, retention, and organizational policy. Cloud or hybrid deployment does not by itself reduce risk or cost; the result depends on architecture, configuration and ongoing governance.

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Why closer attention is not the same as a takeover

Physical-security expertise remains essential for deciding what a site needs and how systems fit real-world operations. CIO attention matters because connected equipment depends on networks, software, identities, data handling and vendors that IT already helps govern. The strongest arrangement is shared accountability with explicit decision rights—not a blanket assumption that every camera or access system belongs to the CIO.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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