Physical Security Policy Template


Company Name	[Company Name]
Effective Date	[Date]
Version	[Version Number, e.g., 1.0]
Policy Owner	[CISO/IT Director]
Document Classification	Confidential / Internal Use Only
Parent Policy	Information Security Policy

Purpose

This policy establishes requirements for securing [Company Name]'s physical facilities, assets, and personnel against unauthorized access, theft, environmental hazards, and other physical threats. It ensures compliance with PCI DSS 4.0.1 requirements for protecting Cardholder Data Environments (CDE) while safeguarding all sensitive corporate assets, including equipment, intellectual property, and personnel.

Scope

Applies to:

All physical locations owned, leased, or managed by [Company Name], including offices, data centers, warehouses, and remote work sites.
All employees, contractors, visitors, and third parties accessing company facilities.
Physical assets: servers, workstations, network hardware, portable devices, paper records, and access control systems.

Roles and Responsibilities

Role/Group	Key Responsibilities
Executive Management	Approve physical security budgets; Review annual risk assessments; Ensure compliance.
Facility Managers	Implement access controls, surveillance, and environmental protections; Manage vendor access.
Information Security Team	Conduct physical security audits; Advise on PCI DSS CDE protections; Manage incident response.
IT/Data Center Teams	Secure server rooms/racks; Maintain hardware inventories; Enforce clean desk policies.
Employees/Contractors	Report security breaches; Follow badge/access protocols; Secure workstations/devices.
Security Personnel	Monitor surveillance; Escort visitors; Conduct periodic facility checks.
Vendors/Third Parties	Comply with access policies; Report incidents; Coordinate visits via authorized channels.

Policy Requirements

1. Facility Access Control

Badge System: Implement RFID/keycard access for all entry points. Badges must display photo ID and access level.
CDE Restrictions: Limit physical access to CDE areas (e.g., server rooms, POS terminals) to authorized personnel only. Log all entries/exits (PCI DSS Req 9.5).
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Require biometric verification (e.g., fingerprint) + badge access for sensitive zones.
Access Reviews: Quarterly reviews of access permissions; revoke immediately upon role changes/termination.

2. Visitor Management

Pre-Registration: All visitors must be pre-approved via internal sponsor. Walk-ins require executive approval.
Escort Policy: Visitors to sensitive areas (e.g., data centers) must be escorted by authorized staff.
Logs: Maintain visitor logs with name, company, entry/exit times, and purpose (retained for 90 days).

3. Data Center & Server Room Security

Biometric Locks: Deploy fingerprint/facial recognition for server room access.
Cameras: 24/7 video surveillance with 90-day retention. Cameras must cover all entry/exit points and racks.
Environmental Controls: Temperature/humidity monitoring, fire suppression (e.g., FM-200), and flood sensors.

4. Equipment Security

Asset Tagging: Track all hardware (servers, laptops, etc.) with unique IDs in centralized inventory.
Cable Locks: Mandatory for portable devices in open areas.
Secure Disposal: Shred sensitive documents; degauss/destroy storage media per Data Protection Policy.

5. Environmental Protections

Fire Prevention: Annual inspection of suppression systems; monthly fire drills.
Power Redundancy: UPS and generators for critical infrastructure (e.g., CDE servers).
Disaster Recovery: Test backup power/failover systems semi-annually.

6. Incident Response

Breach Reporting: Report unauthorized access/theft to InfoSec within 15 minutes.
Forensic Readiness: Preserve surveillance footage/logs for investigations.
Post-Incident Review: Document root causes and corrective actions within 72 hours.

7. Compliance & Auditing

PCI DSS CDE Checks: Quarterly inspections of CDE access logs and camera coverage.
Penetration Testing: Annual physical penetration tests simulating unauthorized entry.
Vulnerability Scans: Monthly checks for unsecured doors/windows or disabled alarms.

Enforcement

Unauthorized access attempts or policy violations may result in termination, legal action, or access revocation.
Facilities failing PCI DSS CDE requirements will be isolated until remediated.
Exceptions require CISO approval, documented risk assessment, and compensating controls.

Revision History

Version	Date	Author	Change Details
1.0	[Date]	[Author Name]	Initial policy release

Approval

Name	Title	Signature	Date
[Exec Name]	[Executive Title, e.g., CFO]		[Date]
[CISO Name]	[CISO/Head of Facilities]		[Date]

Appendix A: Physical Security Controls Checklist

Control	PCI DSS Requirement	Implementation Example	Verification Method
Badge Access	Req 9.1, Req 9.2, Req 9.3	RFID readers at all entrances	Access log review
Visitor Logs	Req 9.4	Digital log with auto-expiry	Monthly audit
Server Room Biometrics	Req 9.5	Fingerprint scanners + audit trails	Penetration test
Surveillance Retention	Req 9.5.1	90-day encrypted video storage	Backup verification

Appendix B: Incident Response Flow for Physical Breaches

graph TD  
    A[Unauthorized Access Detected] --> B{Immediate Action}  
    B --> |Alarm Triggered| C[Security Responds to Location]  
    B --> |Silent Alarm| D[InfoSec Initiates Lockdown]  
    C --> E[Apprehend/Verify Intruder]  
    D --> F[Preserve Logs/Footage]  
    E --> G[Report to Law Enforcement]  
    F --> H[Forensic Analysis]  
    H --> I[Post-Incident Report]

Appendix C: PCI DSS 4.0.1 Physical Security Mapping

PCI DSS Requirement	Policy Section	Key Controls
Req 9.1	Facility Access Control	Badge system, access reviews
Req 9.4	Visitor Management	Escorts, logs, pre-registration
Req 9.5	Data Center Security	Biometric access, CDE entry logging
Req 9.5.1	Incident Response	Surveillance retention, breach reporting
Req 12.10.6	Compliance & Auditing	Quarterly CDE inspections, penetration tests