The Role of AI in a Data Center’s Physical Security System

This is not only important on the virtual side, but the physical side as well. Data is stored on hard drives that have a risk of being stolen or corrupted if a breach occurs. You can have the best encryption standards in the world, but that won’t prevent people from physically taking drives out of your center.

Fortunately, with the use of AI, physical security is becoming much more streamlined. Below are several ways AI transforms Data center physical security.

1. Zero trust architecture

Zero trust architecture is a philosophy for implementing AI into physical security. It sounds more intense than it is in practice. Zero trust in this sense means doing away with human error, specifically human tendencies to give others the benefit of the doubt which could lead to security violations.

Zero trust is built on the principle of “never trust, always verify”. Modern environments are secured with network segmentation, no lateral movement and simplified granular user-access control. Checks are in place across numerous points in a data center that constantly monitors operations should any suspicious activity arise. AI runs this process and takes note of any potential threats where humans may overlook.

2. Cameras everywhere

Security cameras have been an integral component of security systems for a while, but they haven’t reached their full potential until now, thanks to AI. Modern cameras use CAT-5 Ethernet cables for both power and data transmission, allowing surveillance footage to go directly to the cloud simultaneously with a security center. As a result, multiple systems throughout and even off-premises can access the footage.

With the use of AI, this means continuous monitoring for any potential threats. It also allows for real-time alerts and video streaming to any internet-connected device. With AI-power cameras, data centers can have eyes everywhere at all times.

3. Facial authentication

The biggest impact of AI on physical security is through facial authentication systems. Facial authentication is the practice of scanning a person’s face to use it as a “digital passport” for access throughout a building. In addition to just scanning faces, AI ensures individuals only enter authorized spaces and can track user presence throughout the building.

There’s no second-guessing about credentials, applications, communications and devices. Spaces are locked down tightly while still being easily accessible to employees who need them. Security is amplified while significantly reducing the human effort that went into securing those spaces in the past.

4. Two-factor authentication

The use of two-factor authentication has been growing significantly in online spaces to further protect spaces from unwanted visitors. With the use of AI-enhanced security systems, this feature can be used for physical security as well. Often, this means pairing a facial authentication solution with ID tags that are scanned.

By combining both, the system can be absolutely certain of the user’s identity. This may sound difficult to implement, but it isn’t. Certain facial authentication solutions are designed to integrate with existing security measures like ID tags. You can easily pair them together with only a small amount of work.

5. Security booths

Security booths add an extra layer of security infrastructure that AI systems can benefit from using. Essentially, a security booth adds an extra layer around the building premises that checks individuals before they can even enter the area. People passing the booth will be tagged as authorized for entry to the building. Anyone who hasn’t been authorized by the booth first won’t be allowed in the building at all.

Additionally, it adds more “visible security” to the data center. Digital solutions, while more effective, are not as intimidating as these traditional security methods. By having a security booth, you extend your system’s threat-blocking while further warding off unwanted individuals.

6. Predictive analytics

AI security solutions don’t only monitor for potential violations – they monitor for violations that could occur in the future. Humans like to think otherwise, but they’re very predictable, particularly in the eyes of an AI that can easily pick up their patterns and red flags. AI can even cross-reference company surveillance and documents with arrest reports or social media posts to identify higher priority surveillance targets.

This may raise some ethical questions, but offers many valuable applications for security. The system can better arm itself in the presence of higher-risk individuals, and be quicker to alert physical staff should any issues arise.

7. Unparalleled accuracy

Humans are fallible. They’re prone to errors and may not see every small detail that could raise suspicion. While this is understandable, it can be detrimental to a data center’s security efforts. The best way to combat human error is with a system that most often won’t have these errors: AI. With AI, the level of precision in a security system is unmatched. AI will see everything, hear everything and track everything in a physical space, and they constantly get smarter due to machine learning. Should anyone somehow get past it, it will remember that fault in security and prepare it in the future. There’s almost no getting around an AI security system.

Security optimized

AI security systems are capable of reading humans better than they can read themselves. All of this culminates in a physical system that’s practically impenetrable. AI will spot any issues, lock away access from those unauthorized, and do it all with accuracy humans wish they could achieve. AI is not only the future of digital security, it’s revolutionizing physical security systems for the better.