Heavily fortified facility
Layers of CCTV, sensors, fencing, and vehicle barriers were designed to present an impenetrable physical perimeter. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Physical Security Assessment
Cracking a ‘high-security’ perimeter using reconnaissance, social engineering, and real-world attacker methodology.
Overview
A large global organisation in the research and media sector commissioned Cyber Defence to test the physical security of its newly constructed facility. The building was designed to exceed the typical standards for secure environments, featuring CCTV coverage, motion detectors, reinforced concrete walls, chain-link fencing, and vehicle barriers capable of stopping a 10-tonne lorry at 30 mph. On paper, the facility was secure.
However, attackers don’t test blueprints — they test reality. And so do we.
Challenge
Cracking the perimeter
Confidence in design
The client believed the build had eliminated all likely attack paths due to rigorous planning and high-spec hardware.
Objective
Determine whether a real attacker could gain entry — not by attacking technology, but by exploiting people, process, and overlooked physical weaknesses.
Our approach: test the people, not just the walls
Before arriving onsite, Cyber Defence performed external reconnaissance using publicly available information, satellite imagery, and behavioural analysis of staff movements. A credible pretext and supporting identification were prepared to support social engineering attempts. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Upon arrival, the team conducted an overt physical penetration exercise to simulate confident, purposeful entry by an attacker familiar with the environment.
Methodology
How we gained entry
Social engineering the gate
A combination code for a pedestrian gate was obtained through targeted social interaction with staff — bypassing a digital lock without touching the hardware. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Leveraging terrain
A mound of soil left by landscapers provided a hidden elevation point, allowing easy reach over the perimeter fence.
Hardware installation flaws
Several doors were installed with locks facing the wrong way, making the internal mechanisms accessible from outside.
Sensor placement gaps
Motion detectors were placed out of convenience rather than risk alignment, leaving blind spots along the perimeter. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Misapplied tamper sensors
Trembler sensors were fitted directly to concrete walls, rendering them ineffective due to vibration damping.
Why these issues existed
Although the facility's design was impressive, several contributing factors created exploitable weaknesses:
• assumptions made during construction were never retested
• contractors prioritised convenience over security during installation
• operational staff were unaware of how small behaviours could compromise systems
• no holistic validation was performed after build completion
As is often the case, people and processes undermined otherwise strong physical controls.
Outcome
Complete security uplift
Full perimeter compromise
Cyber Defence identified and exploited multiple weaknesses that collectively enabled full entry into the facility. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Rapid remediation
The client immediately remediated issues across the site, including reinstallation of locks, repositioning of sensors, and improved landscaping.
Operational education
A walk-and-talk debrief highlighted process, construction, and behavioural pitfalls, guiding the client’s security and facilities teams toward better operational discipline.
Natural security enhancements
Working with landscapers, natural defensive planting solutions were introduced to disguise, strengthen, and reinforce vulnerable zones.
The strategic lesson
If the assessment had focused only on a small subset of entrances or had been limited to the ‘designed’ security controls, the real weaknesses would never have been found. Attackers choose the weakest link, not the one defined in a security plan.
Comprehensive physical penetration testing — including people, behaviour, and real-world construction flaws — is essential for securing any high-value facility.
Need physical penetration testing?
Cyber Defence provides full-spectrum physical penetration testing, social engineering assessments, red team operations, and secure facility design reviews.
We uncover risks hidden in plain sight and help you strengthen your environment before attackers exploit it.