GITNUXREPORT 2025

Physical Security Statistics

Physical security breaches impact most organizations; improvements are urgently needed.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Physical security spending is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 8% over the next five years

Statistic 2

Over 80% of organizations use video surveillance as the primary physical security measure

Statistic 3

The global physical security market is expected to reach $193 billion by 2027

Statistic 4

The use of RFID access control systems has increased by 40% over the past five years

Statistic 5

60% of companies plan to increase their physical security budgets in the next fiscal year

Statistic 6

54% of security systems globally are monitored remotely

Statistic 7

The global market for perimeter security systems is expected to reach $35 billion by 2025

Statistic 8

The global physical security market is projected to reach $205 billion by 2028

Statistic 9

70% of organizations do not regularly audit their physical security measures

Statistic 10

Manual keys are still used in 40% of organizations despite electronic access controls

Statistic 11

33% of organizations deploy security personnel combined with technological solutions for maximum coverage

Statistic 12

Only 23% of facilities have a dedicated physical security team

Statistic 13

54% of organizations believe CCTV footage alone is sufficient for investigations

Statistic 14

Only 38% of facilities conduct regular physical security training for staff

Statistic 15

62% of organizations report gaps in their physical security policies

Statistic 16

33% of facilities do not have a formal physical security risk assessment

Statistic 17

69% of organizations plan to upgrade or replace their physical security infrastructure within the next two years

Statistic 18

Only 30% of organizations perform background checks on all physical security personnel

Statistic 19

52% of facilities experience challenges in maintaining physical security compliance

Statistic 20

66% of organizations utilize security guards in conjunction with electronic security systems

Statistic 21

43% of security incidents could be mitigated with more comprehensive staff training

Statistic 22

55% of organizations report that physical security measures are often bypassed due to poor maintenance

Statistic 23

Regular maintenance of security equipment can reduce system failures by 25%

Statistic 24

41% of organizations have integrated their physical security data with incident response teams to improve coordination

Statistic 25

83% of large organizations enforce physical security policies at multiple levels

Statistic 26

45% of facilities fail to update their physical security protocols annually

Statistic 27

Implementation of alarm verification reduces false alarms by 60%

Statistic 28

Only 31% of organizations have a dedicated physical security budget

Statistic 29

66% of organizations do not conduct physical security drills regularly

Statistic 30

85% of security professionals consider physical security more important than cybersecurity

Statistic 31

About 74% of security professionals believe physical security measures are not sufficient for their current threat levels

Statistic 32

73% of security professionals believe physical access controls are critical for overall security strategy

Statistic 33

66% of security professionals rate training and awareness as the most critical aspect of physical security

Statistic 34

Around 65% of organizations utilize security signage to deter unauthorized access

Statistic 35

55% of security professionals rate cyber-physical integration as essential in physical security

Statistic 36

Over 60% of organizations experienced a physical security breach in the past year

Statistic 37

78% of security breaches involve physical access as a critical factor

Statistic 38

The average cost of a physical security breach for a mid-sized company is approximately $450,000

Statistic 39

42% of companies have experienced theft due to inadequate physical security measures

Statistic 40

65% of active shooter incidents involve targeted physical security breaches or access points

Statistic 41

Secure fences and barriers have been shown to reduce unauthorized access attempts by 54%

Statistic 42

63% of data centers have experienced physical security issues impacting operations

Statistic 43

52% of security incidents could have been prevented with improved physical security controls

Statistic 44

26% of facilities experienced at least one physical security breach in the past year

Statistic 45

58% of employees say they have bypassed physical security controls such as badge readers or locks

Statistic 46

The use of access control systems reduced theft incidents by 30% in commercial buildings

Statistic 47

48% of physical security incidents involve tailgating or piggybacking

Statistic 48

The average response time to a physical security breach is approximately 15 minutes

Statistic 49

49% of facilities have no intruder alarm system installed

Statistic 50

29% of security incidents at facilities are linked to unlocked or improperly secured doors

Statistic 51

80% of security breaches involve some form of physical vulnerability

Statistic 52

Secure access control doors can reduce unauthorized entry by up to 70%

Statistic 53

44% of physical security systems are outdated or no longer supported, which increases vulnerabilities

Statistic 54

54% of security incidents are preventable with better physical security controls

Statistic 55

The average time to detect a physical security breach is approximately 22 minutes

Statistic 56

41% of physical security breaches involve insider threats

Statistic 57

The installation of physical barriers like bollards and barriers can prevent vehicle-ramming attacks by over 80%

Statistic 58

Nearly 90% of security breaches involve some form of physical access

Statistic 59

77% of security incidents at facilities involve failed access attempts or unauthorized entries

Statistic 60

Over 50% of physical security breaches are detected via surveillance footage after the event

Statistic 61

22% of physical security breaches are caused by equipment failure

Statistic 62

83% of data centers employ multi-factor authentication for physical access

Statistic 63

29% of security breaches are facilitated through social engineering in physical security contexts

Statistic 64

Physical security incidents are reduced by 40% in facilities with regular staff security training

Statistic 65

Approximately 80% of physical security system failures are due to human error during maintenance or deployment

Statistic 66

The use of biometric security measures has increased by 35% in the last three years

Statistic 67

Smart surveillance cameras are used by 85% of Fortune 500 companies for physical security

Statistic 68

Intrusion detection systems have increased in adoption by 22% in the past year

Statistic 69

Mobile security apps are used by 67% of security personnel to monitor physical security assets remotely

Statistic 70

41% of facilities have implemented keyless entry systems

Statistic 71

54% of companies plan to invest more in physical security technology in the next year

Statistic 72

The use of drones for perimeter security increased by 45% in the last two years

Statistic 73

37% of large enterprises deploy integrated physical security systems combining CCTV, access control, and alarms

Statistic 74

The adoption of AI-powered security cameras increased by 55% in the last year

Statistic 75

The use of thermal imaging cameras for security has increased by 70% in the last three years

Statistic 76

30% of physical security systems are vulnerable due to outdated firmware or software

Statistic 77

Physical security organizations are increasingly adopting cloud-based access control solutions, with 42% doing so in 2023

Statistic 78

61% of organizations use biometric authentication for access control

Statistic 79

69% of organizations plan to implement drone-based perimeter security

Statistic 80

73% of organizations plan to upgrade their physical security data analytics capabilities within two years

Statistic 81

The adoption of AI-driven video analytics is projected to grow by 50% in the next two years

Slide 1 of 81

Sources

Our Reports have been cited by:

Trust Badges - Publications that have cited our reports

Key Highlights

Over 60% of organizations experienced a physical security breach in the past year
78% of security breaches involve physical access as a critical factor
The average cost of a physical security breach for a mid-sized company is approximately $450,000
85% of security professionals consider physical security more important than cybersecurity
42% of companies have experienced theft due to inadequate physical security measures
65% of active shooter incidents involve targeted physical security breaches or access points
Secure fences and barriers have been shown to reduce unauthorized access attempts by 54%
70% of organizations do not regularly audit their physical security measures
The use of biometric security measures has increased by 35% in the last three years
63% of data centers have experienced physical security issues impacting operations
52% of security incidents could have been prevented with improved physical security controls
Smart surveillance cameras are used by 85% of Fortune 500 companies for physical security
26% of facilities experienced at least one physical security breach in the past year

With over 80% of organizations experiencing physical security breaches last year—costing mid-sized companies an average of $450,000—and many gaps exposed by outdated systems and insufficient training, safeguarding physical assets has never been more critical or more complex.

Market Size and Industry Trends

Physical security spending is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 8% over the next five years
Over 80% of organizations use video surveillance as the primary physical security measure
The global physical security market is expected to reach $193 billion by 2027
The use of RFID access control systems has increased by 40% over the past five years
60% of companies plan to increase their physical security budgets in the next fiscal year
54% of security systems globally are monitored remotely
The global market for perimeter security systems is expected to reach $35 billion by 2025
The global physical security market is projected to reach $205 billion by 2028

Market Size and Industry Trends Interpretation

As physical security expenditures are set to soar to an estimated $205 billion by 2028, with over 80% relying on video surveillance and a 40% surge in RFID access control over five years, organizations seem to recognize that investing in smart, remote, and perimeter security is no longer optional but essential in safeguarding their assets in an increasingly vigilant world.

Organizational Security Practices and Challenges

70% of organizations do not regularly audit their physical security measures
Manual keys are still used in 40% of organizations despite electronic access controls
33% of organizations deploy security personnel combined with technological solutions for maximum coverage
Only 23% of facilities have a dedicated physical security team
54% of organizations believe CCTV footage alone is sufficient for investigations
Only 38% of facilities conduct regular physical security training for staff
62% of organizations report gaps in their physical security policies
33% of facilities do not have a formal physical security risk assessment
69% of organizations plan to upgrade or replace their physical security infrastructure within the next two years
Only 30% of organizations perform background checks on all physical security personnel
52% of facilities experience challenges in maintaining physical security compliance
66% of organizations utilize security guards in conjunction with electronic security systems
43% of security incidents could be mitigated with more comprehensive staff training
55% of organizations report that physical security measures are often bypassed due to poor maintenance
Regular maintenance of security equipment can reduce system failures by 25%
41% of organizations have integrated their physical security data with incident response teams to improve coordination
83% of large organizations enforce physical security policies at multiple levels
45% of facilities fail to update their physical security protocols annually
Implementation of alarm verification reduces false alarms by 60%
Only 31% of organizations have a dedicated physical security budget
66% of organizations do not conduct physical security drills regularly

Organizational Security Practices and Challenges Interpretation

With physical security lapsing into complacency—ranging from outdated manual keys and infrequent audits to insufficient staff training and patchy policies—it's clear that most organizations are leaving their most valuable assets exposed, despite many plans to upgrade, highlighting that a proactive, well-funded, and regularly tested approach remains the key to true security resilience.

Perception and Attitudes Toward Physical Security

85% of security professionals consider physical security more important than cybersecurity
About 74% of security professionals believe physical security measures are not sufficient for their current threat levels
73% of security professionals believe physical access controls are critical for overall security strategy
66% of security professionals rate training and awareness as the most critical aspect of physical security
Around 65% of organizations utilize security signage to deter unauthorized access
55% of security professionals rate cyber-physical integration as essential in physical security

Perception and Attitudes Toward Physical Security Interpretation

With 85% of security pros prioritizing physical security over cybersecurity and most recognizing its gaps and the need for integrated, well-trained measures, it's clear that in safeguarding our assets, old-school vigilance still reigns supreme—and must evolve accordingly.

Physical Security Incidents and Breaches

Over 60% of organizations experienced a physical security breach in the past year
78% of security breaches involve physical access as a critical factor
The average cost of a physical security breach for a mid-sized company is approximately $450,000
42% of companies have experienced theft due to inadequate physical security measures
65% of active shooter incidents involve targeted physical security breaches or access points
Secure fences and barriers have been shown to reduce unauthorized access attempts by 54%
63% of data centers have experienced physical security issues impacting operations
52% of security incidents could have been prevented with improved physical security controls
26% of facilities experienced at least one physical security breach in the past year
58% of employees say they have bypassed physical security controls such as badge readers or locks
The use of access control systems reduced theft incidents by 30% in commercial buildings
48% of physical security incidents involve tailgating or piggybacking
The average response time to a physical security breach is approximately 15 minutes
49% of facilities have no intruder alarm system installed
29% of security incidents at facilities are linked to unlocked or improperly secured doors
80% of security breaches involve some form of physical vulnerability
Secure access control doors can reduce unauthorized entry by up to 70%
44% of physical security systems are outdated or no longer supported, which increases vulnerabilities
54% of security incidents are preventable with better physical security controls
The average time to detect a physical security breach is approximately 22 minutes
41% of physical security breaches involve insider threats
The installation of physical barriers like bollards and barriers can prevent vehicle-ramming attacks by over 80%
Nearly 90% of security breaches involve some form of physical access
77% of security incidents at facilities involve failed access attempts or unauthorized entries
Over 50% of physical security breaches are detected via surveillance footage after the event
22% of physical security breaches are caused by equipment failure
83% of data centers employ multi-factor authentication for physical access
29% of security breaches are facilitated through social engineering in physical security contexts
Physical security incidents are reduced by 40% in facilities with regular staff security training
Approximately 80% of physical security system failures are due to human error during maintenance or deployment

Physical Security Incidents and Breaches Interpretation

Given that over 80% of security breaches hinge on physical vulnerabilities and nearly half could be prevented with better controls, it’s clear that in the fortress of modern security, leaving the gate open or outdated systems is a costly gamble that often pays off—often literally—making robust physical security both a necessity and an art requiring constant vigilance and human diligence.

Technological Advancements and Adoption in Physical Security

The use of biometric security measures has increased by 35% in the last three years
Smart surveillance cameras are used by 85% of Fortune 500 companies for physical security
Intrusion detection systems have increased in adoption by 22% in the past year
Mobile security apps are used by 67% of security personnel to monitor physical security assets remotely
41% of facilities have implemented keyless entry systems
54% of companies plan to invest more in physical security technology in the next year
The use of drones for perimeter security increased by 45% in the last two years
37% of large enterprises deploy integrated physical security systems combining CCTV, access control, and alarms
The adoption of AI-powered security cameras increased by 55% in the last year
The use of thermal imaging cameras for security has increased by 70% in the last three years
30% of physical security systems are vulnerable due to outdated firmware or software
Physical security organizations are increasingly adopting cloud-based access control solutions, with 42% doing so in 2023
61% of organizations use biometric authentication for access control
69% of organizations plan to implement drone-based perimeter security
73% of organizations plan to upgrade their physical security data analytics capabilities within two years
The adoption of AI-driven video analytics is projected to grow by 50% in the next two years

Technological Advancements and Adoption in Physical Security Interpretation

As physical security evolves at breakneck speed—with biometric use up 35%, AI-powered cameras soaring 55%, and drone deployments expected to hit 69%—organizations must stay vigilant against outdated systems and embrace innovative, integrated technologies to truly secure their assets in this high-tech security arms race.