How do physical security and information security relate in asset protection?

• A. They complement each other to protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability across physical and digital domains.
• B. They are completely independent and do not affect each other.
• C. Physical security replaces the need for digital security.
• D. Digital security concerns only software, not people or processes.

Answer: (D)

In asset protection, protecting physical assets and protecting information are part of one integrated defense. Physical security controls protect people, buildings, and equipment from theft, tampering, or damage, using locks, access controls, guards, cameras, and secure perimeters. Information security protects data and the systems that process it, using access controls, encryption, backups, monitoring, and incident response. When combined, these efforts shield confidentiality, integrity, and availability across both the physical and digital realms.

Think of how they reinforce each other: strong physical controls reduce opportunities for tampering or theft of devices that could expose data, while robust digital protections limit the impact even if a device or location is compromised. Also, digital security isn’t only about software; it involves people and processes—security training, policies, and procedures are essential parts of protecting information. Saying physical security alone replaces digital protection or that security concerns only software misses how threats cross the physical-digital boundary and how coordinated measures prevent them.