Security convergence is the right direction. Aligning physical security (cameras, access control, alarms, intercoms) and cybersecurity under one strategy improves response time, reduces blind spots, and helps teams correlate “what happened” across the physical and digital world. BTI defines security convergence as integrating physical security management with cybersecurity management—solutions and personnel—so threats can be prevented and monitored in a coordinated way.
But convergence also creates a reality many organizations underestimate:
The moment physical security becomes IP-based and cloud-managed, it becomes part of the attack surface AND it becomes a casualty of any successful attack elsewhere in the environment.
Below are the most commonly overlooked cyber risks that show up in converged environments—and the practical fixes that make convergence safer, not riskier.
The Overlooked Risks in Converged IT + Security Environments
If “Security devices” get deployed outside normal IT security discipline
Servers, monitoring workstations, camera firmware, access control firmware, cloud portals, and network devices (wireless bridges/switches/firewalls/gateways:
- Have inconsistent standards at best, and
- May be unrecoverable after and disabled during a cyber incident, and
- May become a landing point for cyber criminals into the corporate network or phishing, smishing, or credential harvesting tools as well.
Why it matters: Any one of these potential security gaps may become unrecoverable and uninsurable incidents depending on the circumstances.
Why Converged Security Lapses Affect So Many Companies and Government Agencies
1) Flat networks can turn any firmware or infrastructure problem into a business outage
Converged network environments often start with laudable goals such as “share bandwidth for cost savings, integrate applications on premise and in the cloud for better reporting, labor savings, and automation” but then end up with a network layout that:
- Is overly permissive, allowing easy hacker movement from one device to many -little separation between IoT/security devices and core business systems, and
- Shares elevated privileges and user accounts that are easily harvested and used to hijack the network.
Segmentation is one of the most effective ways to limit lateral movement and reduce breach “blast radius,” which is a core benefit of Zero Trust approaches.
2) Identity Gets Messy Fast (Shared Logins, Orphaned Access, Vendor Sprawl)
Convergence usually increases the number of consoles, admin roles, mobile apps, and “temporary” vendor accounts.
Common patterns:
- Shared or reused credentials outside of normal controls,
- Terminated employee and lost/stolen badge physical access,
- Reusable SSO access,
- Insecure vendor access without proper controls,
- Cloud and third party vulnerabilities through phishing / smishing / cloud data breaches outside the organization’s controls
Identity controls, zero trust and least privileged access , vulnerability management, penetration testing, training, policy, incident response playbooks, cyber monitoring and backup and disaster recovery are absolutely essential in order to manage these identity risks.
3) Remote Access Becomes “Normal,” But Not Always Controlled
Cloud-managed security platforms are powerful because they’re accessible anywhere. The downside: convenience can outpace governance.
Risks include:
- Weak controls around who can remotely administer security platforms
- Inconsistent MFA enforcement
- Unclear approval workflows for remote access
Why it matters: “Internal” is no longer a safe concept. Zero Trust assumes no implicit trust based on location or network and requires continuous verification. NIST Computer Security Resource Center+1
5) Patch and Lifecycle Gaps are The Quiet Killers
In many organizations, physical security and IOT firmware patching and vulnerability management is:
- Irregular
- Vendor-dependent
- Performed only when something breaks
BTI’s position is blunt: all IOT and network connected devices including enterprise security platforms require ongoing configuration management, firmware updates, and vendor coordination—and those disciplines should match the patching rigor used across managed IT environments.
6) Incident Response gets Slower when Ownership Isn’t Decided in Advance
During an incident, teams often collide on priorities:
- IT wants to isolate the network.
- Facilities/security wants doors, alarms, and cameras functioning.
- Vendors need remote access for monitoring and troubleshooting.
This is where convergence can fail operationally even if the technology is strong: unclear decision-making, unclear escalation paths, unclear evidence retention.
The Fix: Fewer Gaps, Clear Ownership, Better Control
Convergence doesn’t require a dozen separate initiatives. What works is a unified operating approach, fewer handoffs, consistent standards, and ongoing support so your IOT, CCTV, access control, and intrusion systems are managed with the same discipline as the rest of your connected environment and are included in all your cybersecurity controls and incident response plans.
1) Consolidate Accountability (Security First Operating Model)
Fix: Clarify accountable owner(s) (internal or partner-led) and shared responsibilities, incident response plans, and controls for the converged stack so patching, access changes, remote access, monitoring, and incident response don’t fall between teams or vendors.
2) Manage IOT, CCTV, Access Control, and Intrusion like IT-Managed Systems
Fix: Standardize
- secure configuration, network and cybersecurity controls, and commissioning checklists
- adherence to vulnerability scanning, maintenance, and firmware/software update cadence
- lifecycle planning (end-of-support/end-of-life tracking)
- change control (especially for remote access and integrations)
- vendor, user, and administration password and identity management policies
- periodic testing for security and incident response playbooks
- continuous evidence collection and proof of work documentation for insurability and liability protection
3) Segment the Environment to Cordon Off insecure Technologies and Entrenched Vendors
Fix: Where an existing vendor is in place who can’t or won’t meet security standards or controls, place their IOT or physical security systems in dedicated network lanes (VLANs/segmentation) and only allow required traffic between zones—so a compromise in one area doesn’t become a business-wide problem.
4) Operationalize Support and Recovery (so Security Stays Secure and Online)
Fix: Define how issues are detected, escalated, resolved, and verified across multiple sites. A converged environment needs a support model that protects uptime, preserves evidence, and restores systems cleanly after an incident.
When converged security is handled this way, clear ownership, consistent standards, segmented design, and disciplined access control, the common gaps that attackers exploit and operational chaos after an incident occurs are both eliminated.
Need Help with Your Converged IT Environment?
If you’re not sure where your exposures are or would like to find out, BTI can help you assess your converged environment (IT, Cloud, IOT, VoIP, CCTV, access control, intrusion) and build a practical roadmap that improves security, uptime, and accountability.
Start with a Cybersecurity Assessment
Learn How BTI Managed and Co-Managed IT Makes Security Like IT Infrastructure
For immediate network-side containment options, see Network Security Services.
