Free Essay on Security at Capital Holdings

Physical Entry Controls

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Capital Holdings has a number of facilities that are only accessible to certain people or groups of people. The restriction is facilitated by the installation of physical access controls that regulate people accessing various sections. The depot compound is surrounded by a brick perimeter wall with a live wire grill mounted on the top. There are two entries to the compound secured with two steel gates. At each entry there is a security office manned by trained private security guards that frisk all people accessing the depot compound. The security guards use explosive detection machines to probe all vehicles entering the compound as well as visitors to the depot. The warehouses are fitted with strong doors and windows to provide maximum protection to the goods stored inside. A store manager ensures that all the goods entering or leaving the warehouses are recorded and accounted for to prevent theft of goods from the stores. In all the outlets, an out of bounds notice is written in all the sections that are only accessible to staff.

Security Offices, Rooms and Facilities

A typical security office in the company is manned by three security guards that work in 8 hour shifts. Security offices are set at the entrance of all the warehouses and incorporated as management offices at the peripheral outlets. The security offices at the companys distribution centers are used for reporting any security incidences and making temporary detention of criminals before they are referred to the governments facilities. The offices serve as record centers for all vehicles leaving or entering the depots. Facilities at the security offices include an X-ray detection rail that scans all the bags carried by visitors and employees entering the depot, metal detection gadgets that scan all the metallic objects carried by entrants and electrical shock inducers and shackles that can be used to immobilize criminals. Firefighting equipment that cannot be kept outdoors like fire blankets are also kept in the security office. In both the outlets and the warehouse, close circuit television (CCTV) cameras are fitted and all activity in the two places is monitored from a central control room. The central control room receives images generated by peripheral control rooms present in all the areas fitted with the CCTV cameras.

Isolated Delivery and Loading Areas

Isolated delivery and loading areas are located in both the outlets and the distribution centers. Normally, the loading and delivery sections in the depots are outside the main entry to the warehouse. All vehicles delivering the goods from the suppliers are packed in front of the main entry for offloading. Two store managers countercheck the delivered good with the accompanying delivery notes to ensure that there is congruence between what is indicated in the paperwork and the actual goods that get to the company. A CCTV camera is normally fitted at the isolated delivery and loading areas to monitor the activities in this place. In the outlets, the delivery areas are located at the gate behind the building containing the outlet. Goods are offloaded from the vehicle under supervision from the outlet store manager as well as by remote supervision through CCTV.

Security of Information Systems

Being an offline and online company, Capital Holdings has elaborate information systems that facilitate daily activities in the company. Additionally, the company employs information technology in the in-house management of operations like preparation of invoices, processing payments to distributors and employees and keeping fleet records. The most important physical security of information system is regulation of access to sensitive material in the company. Only trustworthy, knowledgeable and experienced personnel should get access to the companys internal operation information. Restricting the number of people accessing this information is a key physical security measure that protects the information from leaking out and getting into the hands of rogue employees.

Workplace Protection

Employees need protection in the workplace. As said, Capital Holdings has about 1000 employees working in different branches of the company. Among these employees are top ranking staffs that need maximum protection depending on the kind of job they do. Therefore, the physical security policy provides for contracting of a private security company on a five years renewable contract. The security firm provides security officers that are deployed to different branches and sections of the company depending on security priority of a given locality. The cashiers operating the outlet vaults are guarded at all times. Money on transit to the bank is also guarded by the security officers. The top ranking managers are assigned body guards to protect them when they are transacting for the company. The private security firm also offers fire protection services to the company.

Unused Ports and Cabling

Unused ports are easy entry routes for malicious and ill-intentioned individuals. The companys computers must not be accessed by unauthorized person in the company even if their records are reputable. Insertion of flash drives in unused USB ports might introduce viruses into the computer or automatically install keyloggers that can remotely monitor the activity of the computer. Unused ports are covered by removable or permanent port locks. All the cables are inserted into a metallic conduit to prevent tampering of information passing through the cables. A metallic pipe also covers the cables as they pass over the walls to their specific destinations like the managers offices or to the security control rooms. Cables ferrying classified information are not placed at locations visible or known to other people apart from the chief security officer and a few top managers.

Network or Server Equipment

Capital Holdings does not have an elaborate server system, but the few internal servers available are kept in tightly secured areas. The server room is only accessed by the chief security officer and chief IT specialists by use of thumbprint identification. An around-the-clock CCTV monitors all the activity in the server room.

Equipment Maintenance

All the equipment containing the companys data are repaired by reputable IT contractors annually. During maintenance, all the computer hard disks are detached and kept under the custody of security officers. The company has hired one IT specialists who works alongside contractors to regulate the kind of maintenance they do on the computers. Servers are not frequently maintained but in case of a breakdown, the same process as the one for computer maintenance is followed.

Security of Laptops and Roaming Equipment

Mobile computers and roaming equipment are not allowed outside the offices where they are used. Normally, most laptops do not have sensitive information due to their vulnerability to theft and malware infection. If laptops are to be moved out of the office, the person moving them around must inform the other staff in that particular office and declare responsibility over the laptops hardware, software and information contained in their hard disks. Laptops and roaming equipment must be carried in water proof bags fitted with shock absorbing material to prevent liquid or physical damage.