Protect against physical threats

Updated25 June 2021

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    We do a lot of digital work to protect sensitive information. But that is only one aspect of information security. The work you do to protect your valuable devices and documents can be undone in an instant if your devices are lost, stolen, tampered with, confiscated, or damaged. Planning for physical security is as important as protecting your devices digitally.

    Careful risk assessment, maintaining a safe computing environment, and writing up a security policy can help you avoid physical disasters. Even if you are not working with a formal organisation, it is a good idea to write out guidelines and response plans for yourself, your household, and those with whom you work.

    Both criminals and politically motivated attackers may have reasons to target your data. They might be seeking financial information, sensitive data related to your work or personal details they can use to intimidate, blackmail or impersonate you. You could also be targeted due to information received from others, for example contacts lists, interviews, testimonies, identity information of victims or witnesses. Criminal and political attacks are often difficult to distinguish, and attempts to obtain sensitive data often look like attempts to steal valuable hardware.

    When planning your protection it is important to always consider the wellbeing aspect of all the people involved. See Resources for Wellbeing & Stress Management.

    While working on your physical protection you are bound to exchange and store a lot of sensitive information in the process. Make sure to protect your sensitive information and protect the privacy of your online communication.

    Start with the steps below to develop a physical security plan.

    Think about inexpensive, low-tech security measures

    • While it is important to budget for physical security, money is not the only way to achieve protection. Your actions, procedures, teamwork, preparation, planning, practice, time and learning are all free.
    • Consider creative, low-tech protection solutions: A dog can be as good an alarm as the latest surveillance camera. Japanese castles used intentionally creaky floors to detect intruders.
    • Plan for many different security measures. Like a rope, the more threads of the rope there are, the stronger the rope is.
    Learn why we recommend this

    A high-tech solution is not always necessary to stay safe. Think of your ancestors – they stayed secure without surveillance cameras, without the latest electronic alarm systems, without reinforced steel doors, without even electricity. These principles of security have not changed.

    If you can’t buy the latest fire extinguisher, what else could you use to douse a fire? Sand, mud, or woollen blankets are all measures people have used in the past. Rather than saying "I can’t buy the latest fire extinguishers, therefore I can’t put out a fire," improvise, be creative, and find the logic behind the recommended security steps.

    Using many different security measures is called "defense in depth." Each measure may be defeated or fail, but the combination of these measures makes you more protected. The more layers you have, the stronger your security plan is.

    Create a physical security policy, with colleagues and family

    • If you live with other people or share an office with another organisation, talk to them about security. Try to determine what behaviours you can expect from one another and from visitors.
    • Get to know your neighbours. Depending on the security climate where you work, this may provide one of two opportunities:
      • Neighbors could become allies who can help you keep an eye on your home or office.
      • If not, your neighbors will become another entry on the list of potential threats that you need to address.
    • Set aside time to work on a policy document.
      • Coordinate with colleagues so they can participate.
      • Coordinate with family members as well to make plans for keeping safe at home.
      • Make sure everyone has time to ask questions about what they are supposed to do and why.
      • Determine what support your colleagues or family members need to make sure they are able to act on the policy, and make sure it is available.
    • Set dates to revisit the policy.
    • Set dates for regular security and protection capacity building.
    • Establish security briefing procedures and expectations about sharing information about incidents.
    • Store and back up your policy documents in ways that are quickly accessible.
    • Plan how you will introduce newcomers to your organization to the policy.
    • See the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security for practical advice on how to create a security policy.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Emergencies often impact our ability to think clearly. For this reason, it is a good idea to write up your plans for security in a policy document and revise it as your situation changes. Work on this document with your colleagues and/or family to make sure everyone knows what to do. This will take some time, but doing it in advance ensures everyone will know how to act on small but important details.

    Have a communication plan in case of emergency

    It is important to have a plan both for your household and for your office. Consider including the following information:

    • Who is in your network of allies and supporters who can come to your assistance.
    • Emergency contacts and medical conditions of staff.
    • Who to contact in the event of a fire, flood, or other natural disaster.
    • How to respond to a burglary or an office raid.
    • What steps to take if a device is lost or stolen.
    • Who should be notified if sensitive information is disclosed or misplaced.
    • How to recover information from your off-site backup system.
    • How to perform certain important emergency repairs.
    • How to contact the organisations that provide services like electrical power, water and Internet access.

    What goes in your plan? Assess the risks and vulnerabilities you face

    • How might your information be lost or compromised?
    • What would happen if it was?
    • What devices do you use?
      • Make an inventory.
      • Include serial numbers and physical descriptions.
      • Include which devices connects to which services (e.g. social media account, remote calendars, email accounts, cloud file storage, etc.).
    • Where are these items physically located?
      • Think broadly: not just about information at the office or at home, but in someone's luggage, in a recycling bin out back or "somewhere on the Internet" (which often means on the servers run by internet providers, social media companies, or other far-away people you do not know).
    • What is your policy on people using personal devices for work?
    • What communication channels do you use, and how do you use them?
      • Examples might include letters, faxes, mobile devices, land line phones, emails, video calls, social media and secure messaging platforms.
    • How do you store important or sensitive information?
      • Computer hard drives, email and web servers, USB memory sticks, external hard drives, CDs, DVDs, mobile phones, printed paper and hand-written notes are all common means of data storage.
        • In each case, include information in your plan about whether or not the data are encrypted, whether and where there is a backup, and who has access to the keys or passwords needed to decrypt them.
      • See Protect the sensitive files on your device and Basic security guides on encrypting your devices and setting screen locks, to stop anyone who gets physical access to your device from getting access to your files.
    • How do you destroy sensitive data when you no longer need it?
      • How will you securely dispose of paper rubbish that contains sensitive information?
      • How will you remove sensitive information from devices you are getting rid of?
    • What is your plan for traveling?
      • How will you, your colleagues, and family members interact with immigration and border security personnel in various circumstances?
      • How will you all handle sensitive data or software that might be seen as incriminating?
      • What information do you all need about travel insurance, if any?
      • Would it improve your security to partner with not traveling person and check in at pre-planned times?
      • What will you do if a colleague fails to check in as planned?
    • What will you do in different emergencies?
      • Make simple checklists to make it easier to act under stressful conditions.
      • Include information about access to legal support.
      • Find out what legal protections you have against law enforcement personnel, landlords, and others who might try to enter your home or office.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Think about what would happen if you lost your devices and documents due to theft, disaster, or confiscation. Who would be affected? Would you be able to continue your work? Thinking through different kinds of risks can ensure their impact on your work is lessened.

    Any piece of your information might be vulnerable in more than one way. For example, files you store on a USB memory stick could be vulnerable to malware, but you could also lose the stick or it could be stolen. Include each of these possibilities in your plan. Some steps you take to protect your security, like backing up your files to a device that is not in your office, are helpful against both digital and physical threats.

    There is no universal "correct" policy; the policy that will help you depends on your situation. For example, if you are making a decision about what to do when carrying devices out of the office, you may want to be more specific. Do you need to make a policy for someone walking across town? For traveling across a border? Will somebody else be carrying your bag? Is the risk to the device different if you are going to a protest?

    Create an office access policy

    • Your policy should include rules about key distribution, monitoring systems like cameras, alarm systems, and what to do with people delivering packages, repairing your systems, or fixing or cleaning your space.
    • Think of your physical security as having the following layers, and plan for the protection of each of them:
      • The walls or fences of your site
      • Between the walls/fences and the doors and windows of your building
      • Inside your building
      • Finally, a safe room inside that building, and your evacuation plans if those other layers are breached.
    • Decide which parts of your space should be restricted to visitors.
    • If possible, arrange rooms for greater privacy and security:
      • Create a reception area where visitors can be met when they enter the office
      • Create a meeting room that is separate from your normal work space.
      • If you work out of your home, this might require that you move documents and equipment into a bedroom or some other private space when meeting with visitors.
    • Consider purchasing devices from known, trusted vendors like Apple, Google, Samsung, Sony, etc. Avoid buying devices that are no-name brands as they could come preloaded with malware and can lack security updates.
    • Your printers, monitors, projectors, and other devices likely have USB, ethernet or other ports. Keep them out of reach or outside public areas, so nobody can plug a device into them that can spy on you.
    Learn why we recommend this

    We often think of digital threats as only technical. But hackers think of "social engineering," or convincing you to let them be in physical spaces near your devices, as part of their toolkit to get to your digital valuables. Having a policy about who can access which parts of your space and why, and thinking through how you will keep it from being violated, will limit the possibility of this happening.

    When working outside your home or office

    • Public wifi and internet cafes should be considered unsecure.
    • Consider carrying your laptop in something that does not look like a laptop bag.
    • Keep devices near you at all times. Do not let your device out of your site when charging, for example.
    • Consider traveling with a security cable and practice finding workspaces near objects to which you can attach one. Thieves often exploit meal times and restroom visits to steal unattended equipment from hotel rooms and cafes.
    • Remember that hotel safe deposit boxes are accessible to hotel staff who have the master key.

    Consider using surveillance cameras and motion sensors

    • Remember, if what you are looking for is a fast alert, low-tech solutions like bells or alarms which ring when a door opens, or a dog that will bark, can be as effective as a surveillance camera, if not more so. Closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras may require someone to monitor them or review footage.
    • Consider whether a camera to monitor your space would put those who work there or nearby at risk, if your adversary had access to these cameras. Balance this risk against your need to know if your space has been searched, raided, or burglarized.
    • Avoid using "internet of things" devices like Amazon's Ring. Many internet of things systems are notoriously vulnerable to spying. Amazon, which offers the Ring system, has been known to share camera footage with law enforcement without users' permission, and may use your data in other ways it does not disclose.
    • As an alternative, consider using Haven, which was specially created to help human rights defenders monitor their own spaces with control over their own data.
    • When using a surveillance camera, you may want to transmit video to a location other than the one you are monitoring. This video should be sent encrypted and also remain encrypted wherever it is stored. Consider how can you best protect physical access to these videos, how long will you keep them and how will you removed them.

    Protect your local network

    Avoid running ethernet cables in unprotected areas

    • It may be safer to use ethernet cable network. Wireless network can be breached without physical access.
    • Avoid running internet cables outside your building and outside your physically protected areas, as it makes it easier for someone to tamper with them when you are not looking.

    Set a strong passphrase on your wireless network

    Learn why we recommend this

    It is possible for anyone in range of your wifi signal to spy on your network or communications. If your wifi relies on a weak password — or no password at all — anyone within range is a potential intruder.

    Install a firewall router

    • Consider purchasing and installing a firewall router to protect and separate your office or home network from the router of your Internet service provider company. Read how to secure your router.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Internet service provider has full access to the router they have delivered for you to use the Internet. Through this router they have access to your network, communication and devices.

    Avoid connecting unnecessary devices to your network

    • Televisions, cameras, phones, printers, video game consoles and "Internet of Things" (IoT) devices are also computers. They come with many of the same risks. Think twice before connecting new equipment to your home or office network.
    • Unplug devices you are not using.

    Change your wifi network's name

    • Give your wifi a name that does not clearly identify you, your organisation or the location of the access point.

    Create a separate wifi account for guests

    • Most modern WiFi devices have this capability.
    • This way, you will not need to give them your password, and it will be easier to change the passwords if you need to.
    • Ensure this network is protected by a password. Leaving your router unprotected makes it possible for intruders to tamper with your wifi.

    Lock up networking equipment

    • Lock networking equipment like servers, routers, switches, and modems inside a secure room or cabinet to make it hard for an intruder to tamper with them.

    Make sure your servers are encrypted

    • If your office runs servers, work with the person who manages them to ensure they encrypt their data (see the section on keeping your digital information private for more information on this topic). If for some reason you run unencrypted servers, ensure that at least if they are unplugged, they will encrypt their contents.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Encrypting your servers protects your files in the event your servers are seized and confiscated and if they need to be fix/replaced.

    Prevent accidents and outages

    Computers, networking equipment and data storage devices can be quite delicate. The same is true of surveillance cameras, printers, "smart devices" and other hardware. Electrical fluctuations like lightning strikes, power surges, cuts to your power, blackouts and brownouts can cause physical damage to digital devices by harming electronic components or destroying data on hard drives. Extreme temperatures, dust, and moisture can also do damage.

    Use electrical sockets and plugs that have ground lines

    Having a grounded power connection prolongs the life of your electronic equipment and can reduce the risk of failure due to irregular current or lighting strikes.

    Plug electronics into surge protectors

    • Not all power strips contain surge protectors, so check this when buying new ones. A surge protector should specify a maximum voltage and list a rating in joules.
    • If your electricity is particularly unstable, you might also need a "power filter" or "line conditioner."
    • Put surge protectors, UPSs, power strips, and extension cables where they will not be unplugged or powered off when someone bumps them.

    Consider installing Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs)

    • These are somewhat more expensive than surge protectors, but they will stabilize your power supply and provide temporary power in the event of a blackout.
    • UPSes are particularly valuable for servers and for desktop computers that do not work if they are not plugged in.
    • Consider lighting that does not depend on electricity – strong flashlights, strip lighting on walls powered by batteries, solar charged lights, etc.

    When moving into a new building, test the power supply

    • Do this before plugging in important equipment. If the power behaves poorly with lamps, lights, and fans, it is likely to damage your digital devices.
    • Ask trusted electrician to review the cabling.

    Get good cables

    • When you find yourself with access to high-quality computer cables, surge protectors, and power strips, consider picking up a few extras. Sparking power strips that fall out of wall sockets and fail to hold plugs securely can cause people physical harm, as well as damaging your devices and data.

    Ventilation

    • If you run your computer inside a cabinet, make sure it has adequate ventilation to prevent it from overheating.
    • Computer equipment should not be housed near radiators, heating vents, air conditioners, or other ductwork.

    Protect against theft, tampering, and confiscation

    Start with locks

    • If possible, install high-quality locks on your doors and windows.
      • Keep an up-to-date list of how many keys were created and to whom they were distributed.
      • Make plans to collect keys from anyone who no longer needs access (when people leave an organization is an ideal time to take keys back.)
      • Consider purchasing a laptop safe or a locking cabinet for sensitive documents and equipment.
      • Lock the devices themselves:
        • Most desktop computer cases have a slot where you can attach a padlock to stop someone from getting in and tampering with the hardware.
        • Use locking security cables, where possible, to prevent intruders from stealing desktop and laptop computers.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Locks on doors, gates, windows, and other entry points act as your outer layers of security. They can help you delay and detect intrusions, not only stop them.

    Don’t place equipment where it can be easily stolen or tampered with

    • Avoid placing important devices, including servers and wifi routers, in easily accessible locations like hallways and reception areas, or next to windows or doors.
    • Protect your building's main electrical switches with locks.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Attackers may install software on or steal equipment in easy-to-access areas. Be aware that attackers will often try to cut the electricity to the property before entering, adding to your confusion and making it hard to call for help.

    Consider risks of leaving devices behind vs taking them with you

    • You know the level of risk better than anyone else, so consider: is it likely that someone will raid your space or tamper with your devices while you are out? Or is it more likely you will be detained and searched with your devices on you?
    • What are you going out to do? Travel? Cross borders? Go to a protest where it is likely you will be arrested? Weigh whether the risk or search or confiscation is higher if the device is on you, or if you leave it behind.
    • Scatter small objects over your device. Consider taking a picture of it before you go. When you return, compare the photo to the position of the objects, to see if the device has been moved. (One classic tactic is to leave a single thread or hair on the device if there is no breeze in the area; it can be hard for an attacker to re-create the shape of that thread or hair.)
    • Consider using a monitoring app like Haven to watch your things while you are gone.
    • Also consider whether a locked box could help secure your devices in case your space is searched.

    Decide whether to register your devices with law enforcement

    • If your local law enforcement is trustworthy, registering the model and serial number of your devices can help you recover devices if they are stolen.

    Consider what can be seen

    • Establish a "clean desk policy": ensure you and your colleagues do not leave sensitive information sitting on your desk, particularly passwords, paper calendars, planners, journals, address books, or sticky notes.
    • Position computer screens in your home or office so they cannot be seen from outside. Remember to account for windows, open doors, and visitor waiting areas.
    • Consider ways you can avoid using devices in public, where someone could look over your shoulder.
    • If you often work in public, buy privacy screens. These simple plastic covers make it difficult to read a screen unless it is directly in front of you. They are available for laptops, external monitors, tablets and smartphones. More on privacy screens.
    • If you need to hide your location, remember these clues can be used to figure out where you are:
      • Check what is visible on camera in video calls: architecture, signs, trees, geological features like mountains?
      • Consider what can be heard in the background: nearby traffic, sound systems, factories, children playing?
    • Cover cameras on your devices when you are not using them, so they cannot be manipulated to spy on you. More on Camera Cover.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Your adversaries may not need to have physical or electronic access to your important devices and data if they can see it by looking at your space or device. They may not need your exact location if they can determine it from things they see or hear in the background of calls or videos. Paper documents are refreshingly immune to malware, but if they are stolen, copied, or photographed, they can reveal extremely sensitive information.

    Decide how you will dispose of sensitive information

    • Set a regular schedule to erase devices securely, in order to ensure sensitive files do not remain on your devices, hard drives, USB memory sticks, removable memory cards (SD cards) from cameras, mobile phones or portable music players, and any other device that saves sensitive information.
    • For each device you have (Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows), see our guides for basic security: specifically, the sections on securely deleting files, wiping blank space, and disposing of an old device. Incorporate these instructions into your physical security plan.
    • Many paper shredders work on CDs, DVDs, and bank cards as well as paper documents. Just make sure your shredder does so before you try this!
    • Dispose of the pieces in various locations far from your home or office to make reconstruction harder.
    • When you are disposing of a computer hard drive, you can make it harder to get data off of it by destroying it with a power drill, a few strong blows from a hammer, or nails hammered through it. Do not burn or pour acid on a drive, and do not put it in the microwave.
    Learn why we recommend this

    Even if a CD or DVD lets you save additional data on it (if it is "rewriteable"), it is better to destroy the disc. It is surprisingly difficult to erase the contents of a CD or DVD by writing over data that is already there.

    You may have heard stories about information being recovered from CDs or DVDs after they were cut into small pieces. While this is possible, reconstructing information in this way takes a great deal of time and expertise. Judge for yourself whether someone is able and likely to expend that level of resources to rebuild a disc you have shredded.

    For our reasoning on these methods of secure disposal, also see our guides for basic device security.

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