A new security era for datacentres

The EMEA datacentres industry is expected to double in size by 2030. As it grows and technology like AI evolves, criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and eager to profit from data theft. This year alone 1.8 million NHS health and employee records, and 15.2 million Equifax customer records were exposed through security breaches. While cybersecurity incidents dominate headlines, physical threats pose equally serious risks that firewalls cannot prevent. 

A physical threat

Ponemon's 2022 survey says a quarter of datacentre security incidents were caused by malicious insiders, half of which used external physical devices to steal data and two-thirds of datacentres experienced a physical breach from vandals, l protestors and data thieves. 

The challenge with securing any datacentre lies in its location the complexity of the site and controlling internal access to servers. 

Perimeters: The first line of defence

Effective datacentre security begins at the outer perimeter.  Most datacentres are located in or near towns and cities and face potential security challenges from passing traffic and pedestrians, or determined thieves.

However, many security systems suffer from false alarms – alerting security to apparent threats which in reality are often local wildlife, or a flash of lightening near the perimeter. Modern LiDAR technology, such as OPTEX's REDSCAN Pro sensors, by contrast only react to genuine threats. The system analyses the size and distance of objects and is ‘trained’ to ignore birds, rodents and cats - common false triggers. Along the fence line these LiDAR sensors create a ‘virtual’ invisible curtain of detection, which when crossed by an intruder or approached by an unexpected vehicle, gives precise x,y coordinates of the incident to security personnel in a timely and accurate way. 

Perimeter access points, are often double-gated, allowing one person or vehicle at a time to enter the site, once they are authorised. Invisible lasers such as OPTEX’s REDSCAN LiDAR will secure the gates and help identify tailgating or monitor security blind spots as vehicles enter or leave the site.

Building access

Inside the perimeter buildings need controlled access; turnstiles, key cards or airlocks restrict entry to one person at a time and strengthen security, particularly in highly sensitive areas. If more than one person tries to pass through these barriers or an individual’s security credentials cannot be identified, modern sensors will alert security. 

A building’s exterior walls, and roof, and the grounds, can also be monitored by LiDAR technology. Anyone detected within a metre of the building or trying to enter through the rooftop will trigger an alarm. 

But the most valuable assets are inside the building and while landlords oversee security across the overall site each occupant of a co-location facility will need their own internal security. 

Preventing rack attacks

Insider security incidents almost doubled (44%) from 2021 to 2022, and cost on average 197% more than external cyberattacks.  Preventing the unauthorised download of sensitive data, or intellectual property, or the upload of malware onto servers is critical. 

In darkened server rooms, LAN cables or USB drives can be inserted into racks, to download data. It happens fast so detection and prevention must be too. 

Commonly 2D laser detection is used to create virtual walls around server cages, but traditional sensors find it difficult to protect the vulnerable, narrow spaces around server racks from interference. 

New technology such as OPTEX’s latest REDSCAN Lite has been designed to monitor gaps as small as 200mm. Using time-of-flight (TOF) technology, it accurately and precisely detects a small object like a USB stick or a hand passing through the laser beam across a range of 10x10m in just 100 milliseconds. OPTEX's SecureLANTM series also detects cable tampering. In either case optical cutoff switches can automatically shut down any data network - and the loss of sensitive information.

Another hidden security risk are the interconnected ventilation spaces underneath servers which can give data thieves unauthorised access between rooms, circumventing traditional key fob door security. It is particularly risky in co-location facilities.

To prevent access from their neighbours, firms renting of server space need their own security. Unauthorised door entry through tailgating can be prevented using video-based human tracking technology like OPTEX's OV-102 sensor and LiDAR sensors will detect the removal of floor tiles when data thieves are attempting to enter under floor crawl spaces, and alert security teams before intruders reach secure areas.

Multi-layered approach

The most effective security combines multiple technologies in layered systems. Now part of the national infrastructure, security standards for datacentres will only get higher. Whilst cybersecurity is critical, physical security is just as important. Success requires understanding location-specific risks, environmental conditions, and potential threats, then implementing early threat detection, robust perimeter security, strict access control, and comprehensive internal monitoring.  There are modern, highly accurate and rapid detection technologies available today to provide the high standards of security needed, but it must work together reliably, accurately and quickly together to safeguard society’s data – in ever decreasing spaces.