220-1102 Physical Security Controls — 20 Questions

Question 1

A customer reports that their laptop was stolen from their desk over the weekend. The laptop contained sensitive client data. Which physical security control should have been implemented to prevent this theft?

Accepted Answer

Cable lock. Cable locks are a simple and effective physical security control to prevent laptop theft by securing the device to a desk or fixed object. This scenario tests the understanding of basic physical deterrents against opportunistic theft in an office environment.

Answer

Biometric authentication

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Full disk encryption

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Smart card reader

Question 2

During a security audit, you find that a company's server room door is propped open with a trash can to allow airflow. What is the most immediate physical security risk in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Unauthorized personnel can enter the server room. Propping open a secured door completely bypasses the access control system, allowing unauthorized individuals to enter the server room undetected. This highlights the importance of maintaining door closure mechanisms to ensure physical security.

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Increased dust entering the server room

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Fire suppression system may not work

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The door closer will wear out faster

Question 3

A company's server room has a door with a proximity card reader. Employees report that the door sometimes does not close fully, allowing it to be pushed open without a card. What is the best solution?

Accepted Answer

Install a door closer mechanism. A door closer ensures the door automatically shuts and latches after each use, preventing it from being left ajar. This addresses the root cause of the security gap by maintaining the integrity of the access control system.

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Replace the proximity card reader with a biometric reader

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Add a security camera to monitor the door

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Increase the frequency of badge audits

Question 4

A company is designing a secure entry for a high-security lab. They need to ensure that only one person can enter at a time and that the person must be authenticated before the second door opens. Which physical security control should be used?

Accepted Answer

Mantrap with smart card and biometric authentication. A mantrap with two interlocking doors and authentication requirements ensures one-person-at-a-time entry, preventing tailgating and piggybacking. This is the gold standard for high-security areas requiring strict access control.

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Turnstile with biometric reader

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Security guard with logbook

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Cipher lock with door alarm

Question 5

A technician is configuring a new server rack in a shared office space. Which physical security measure should be applied to prevent unauthorized physical access to the servers?

Accepted Answer

Use rack-mount locks on each server chassis. Rack-mount locks secure the server chassis within the rack, preventing unauthorized removal or tampering with individual servers. This is a standard physical control for multi-tenant or shared spaces where racks are accessible.

Answer

Install a door alarm on the office entrance

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Enable BitLocker on all server drives

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Configure a strong BIOS password

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting why a smart card reader at a secure entrance fails intermittently. Users can sometimes enter, but other times the reader does not respond. What should the technician check first?

Accepted Answer

Check the cabling and connections to the reader. Loose or damaged cabling is a common cause of intermittent failures in physical access control systems. Checking the physical connection is a logical first step before moving to software or configuration issues.

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Update the smart card reader firmware

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Replace the smart cards for all users

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Reconfigure the access control software

Question 7

A small office wants to restrict access to the server room to only authorized IT staff. They need a solution that does not require keys or cards that can be lost. Which physical security control should they implement?

Accepted Answer

Biometric lock. Biometric locks use unique physical characteristics like fingerprints, eliminating the need for keys or cards that can be lost or stolen. This question tests knowledge of access control methods that combine security with convenience.

Answer

Keyed lock

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Proximity card reader

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Cipher lock

Question 8

A company is implementing a new policy to prevent tailgating at the main entrance. Which physical security control should they deploy?

Accepted Answer

Mantrap. A mantrap uses two interlocking doors to ensure only one person can enter at a time, effectively preventing tailgating. This tests understanding of specialized access controls designed to enforce one-person-per-authentication.

Answer

Security cameras

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Biometric reader

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Badge reader

Question 9

A data center manager wants to implement a physical security control that can detect if a server chassis has been opened without authorization. Which control should they use?

Accepted Answer

Tamper-evident seals. Tamper-evident seals show visible signs of removal or tampering, indicating unauthorized access to the server chassis. This is a passive but effective control for detecting physical breaches after they occur.

Answer

Intrusion detection system (IDS) on the network

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Chassis intrusion switch

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Video surveillance

Question 10

A school district is deploying laptops to students and wants to deter theft while keeping devices usable. Which physical security control should they implement on the laptops?

Accepted Answer

Apply asset tracking tags. Asset tracking tags allow the school to identify and recover stolen devices, acting as a deterrent and aiding in recovery. This balances security with usability, as the laptops remain fully functional for students.

Answer

Install a cable lock on each laptop

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Use a laptop safe

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Enable a BIOS password

Question 11

A company experiences a data breach after an attacker physically removes a hard drive from an unsecured workstation. The workstation was in a public area. Which combination of physical and logical controls would have best prevented this?

Accepted Answer

Cable lock and full-disk encryption. Preventing physical theft requires both a physical lock (cable lock) to secure the device and full-disk encryption (like BitLocker) to protect data if the drive is removed. This is a layered approach.

Answer

Cable lock and BIOS password

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Security camera and Windows password

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Proximity card reader and screen lock

Question 12

A small business wants to prevent unauthorized individuals from following employees through a secure entrance after badge access is granted. Which physical security control is specifically designed to address this threat?

Accepted Answer

Deploy a mantrap. Tailgating occurs when someone slips in behind an authorized user. A mantrap is a small room with two interlocking doors that only allows one person to pass at a time, effectively preventing tailgating.

Answer

Install a biometric fingerprint scanner

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Use a proximity card reader

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Add a security guard

Question 13

During a security incident investigation, you discover that an attacker gained physical access to a network closet by using a cloned RFID badge. Which control would have most effectively prevented this type of attack?

Accepted Answer

Use a biometric reader instead of RFID. Cloning an RFID badge exploits the lack of mutual authentication. Smart cards with cryptographic chips are much harder to clone because they require a private key stored on the card that cannot be easily extracted.

Answer

Install a CCTV camera in the closet

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Add a door sensor alarm

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Require a second factor like a PIN

Question 14

A customer reports that their laptop was stolen from a locked office over the weekend. The office door uses a standard key lock, and the laptop was not physically secured. Which physical security control would have most likely prevented this theft?

Accepted Answer

Attach a cable lock to the laptop. This question tests knowledge of physical security controls that deter theft. A cable lock physically attaches the laptop to a desk, making it difficult to remove quickly. Key locks on doors alone are insufficient if someone gains access; cable locks provide a secondary layer of defense.

Answer

Use a smart card reader on the door

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Install a security camera in the hallway

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Enable BitLocker on the laptop

Question 15

During a security audit, you find that a server room door has a standard key lock, but the key is kept in an unlocked drawer nearby. Which physical security principle is being violated?

Accepted Answer

Defense in depth. The principle of defense in depth requires multiple layers of security. Storing the key in an unlocked drawer negates the door lock, creating a single point of failure. Proper key management is essential.

Answer

Least privilege

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Separation of duties

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Change management

Question 16

During a routine security audit, you find that an employee has taped their door lock open to avoid using their badge every time they leave for a break. What is the most immediate security concern with this practice?

Accepted Answer

Unauthorized persons can enter without credentials. Propping a door open bypasses access control systems, allowing unauthorized individuals to enter without credentials. This is a common physical security violation that undermines the entire access control mechanism.

Answer

The employee might lose their badge

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It violates company badge policy

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The door lock may break from being forced open

Question 17

A technician is tasked with securing a shared office printer that stores sensitive documents on its hard drive. The printer is in an open area. Which physical security measure should be prioritized to protect the data on the printer?

Accepted Answer

Place the printer in a locked room. Printers with hard drives can retain copies of printed documents. Physically securing the printer in a locked room or cabinet prevents unauthorized persons from removing the drive or accessing the device directly.

Answer

Enable secure print release with a PIN

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Encrypt the printer's hard drive

Answer

Use a cable lock on the printer

Question 18

A technician is deploying laptops for a sales team that works remotely from coffee shops and client sites. The laptops contain sensitive customer data. Which physical security control is most practical for these mobile devices?

Accepted Answer

Attach a cable lock to the laptop. For mobile devices, a Kensington lock (cable lock) is a standard, lightweight physical security measure that can be used in various locations to tether the laptop to a fixed object, deterring opportunistic theft.

Answer

Install a laptop tracking software

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Use a biometric fingerprint reader on the laptop

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Require a smart card for login

Question 19

A technician is configuring a new server room and needs to ensure that only authorized personnel can physically access it. The company wants a solution that does not require replacement of keys or cards if one is lost. Which access control method best meets this requirement?

Accepted Answer

Implement a biometric fingerprint reader. Biometric systems use unique physical traits (fingerprint, retina) that cannot be lost or easily duplicated. This eliminates the need to reissue credentials if a card or key is lost, though biometrics have their own management challenges.

Answer

Use a combination lock

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Install a smart card system

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Use a keypad with a PIN code

Question 20

A company is moving to a new office and wants to secure its server room against both unauthorized entry and environmental hazards. Which combination of physical controls should be implemented?

Accepted Answer

An electronic badge reader and a temperature sensor. Physical security for server rooms should include access control (e.g., electronic lock) and environmental monitoring (e.g., temperature/humidity sensors) to protect equipment. This addresses both security and operational continuity.

Answer

A key lock and a fire extinguisher

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A biometric scanner and a security camera

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A combination lock and a humidity monitor