CEH

402 Chapter 17 ■ Physical Security

Depending on the company or organization involved, the goal of erecting a fence may

vary from stopping casual intruders to providing a formidable barrier to entry. Fences

work well at preventing unauthorized individuals from gaining access to specific areas but

also force individuals who have or want access to move to specific choke points to enter

the facility. When determining the type of fence to use, you should determine what the

organization may need to satisfy the goals of the security plan. Fences should be 8 feet or

higher to deter determined intruders.

Gates

Fences by themselves are an effective barrier, but they must exist in concert with other

security measures and structures. In the case of fences, a gate represents the physical

manifestation of the concept of a choke point or a point where all traffic must enter or exit

the facility. Much like fences, all gates are not created equal, and selecting the incorrect

one will not offer proper security. In fact, choosing the incorrect gate can even detract from

what would otherwise be a decent security measure. Also consider the fact that the best

fence available can see its own usefulness severely degraded if the combination of fence and

gate is poor. UL Standard number 325 details the requirement for gates.

Doors and Mantraps

Except for the majority of exterior doors, most doors that an individual will encounter

on a daily basis are neither designed nor placed with security in mind. In many cases, an

attacker would be able to easily kick through or push through a door to get at what’s on

the other side, be it a server room or some other location.

Doors should be designed and placed with security in mind. Steel or solid-core doors do

not lend themselves to being easily kicked in or compromised. As a pen tester, always assess

the current physical environment in locations such as server rooms and other vital areas to

ensure that strong doors and locks are being used to prevent intrusions from occurring.

Doors come in many configurations, including:

■ Industrial doors

■ Vehicle access doors

■ Bulletproof doors

■ Vault doors

Is just having a well-selected door the end of the problem? Absolutely not; you must also

consider the frame that the door is attached to. A good door connected to a poorly designed

or constructed frame can be the Achilles heel of an otherwise good security mechanism.

During a security review, be sure to examine not only the doors in place, but also the

hardware used to attach the door to the frame and the frame itself. Consider the fact that

something as simple as incorrectly attaching the hinges to a door and frame can make it

easy work for a potential intruder with a screwdriver to bypass.

In addition to doors, mantraps provide another valuable form of security. Mantraps

replace normal doors with a phone booth–sized object with a door on either side and only