We recently attended the Home Office’s Security and Policing event and one of the most popular requests we had was to demonstrate how our SMART lockers can securely store electronic devices when prohibited from a high-security environment.

It got me thinking about the progress we are making in physical security, especially when it comes to striking that all-important balance between security measures and user accessibility. And, consequently, the difference it can make to industries most targeted by data breaches.

Last month, Statista shared findings on data breaches exposing more than eight million records worldwide during the fourth quarter of 2023. It’s not surprising that data breaches remain one of the biggest concerns of company leaders worldwide, particularly for those most targeted. Reportedly, public administration experienced the highest number of data breaches between 2021 and 2022. The industry, responsible for determining government policies, saw 582 reported data breach incidents with confirmed data loss. Not far behind, the second most targeted were financial institutions with 477 data breach cases.

With data loss, comes financial losses and disruptions to business operations. Statista also revealed the average data breach cost across businesses worldwide was 4.45 million U.S. dollars. Furthermore, a leaked data record amounted to 165 U.S. dollars. The United States saw the highest average breach cost globally, at 9.48 million U.S. dollars.

A data breach exposing confidential, sensitive, or protected information to an unauthorised person is not only costly, but it can ruin an organisation’s reputation. And with cybercriminals using ever more sophisticated methods, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), there has never been a more pressing time to invest in both virtual and physical security measures.

In our technologically driven world, physical security often takes a back seat to virtual security measures. However, as we continue to face rising digital threats, it is becoming increasingly evident that the security of tangible assets, particularly in high-risk situations, is as critical as every layer of cybersecurity protocols.

The transition from paper-based communication to digital device-dependent processes has made the storage and, unfortunately, theft of sensitive material more convenient. This shift towards mobile tech use, especially within high-security sectors, demands a re-evaluation of our physical storage solutions. Government agencies, financial businesses and corporate boardrooms are frequent examples of environments where covert operations and information gathering are high risk.

In such cases, where a single breach can be disastrous, measures to safely store devices become indispensable. The same institutions that prohibit mobile devices within confidential meetings often lack the infrastructure to store them securely and conveniently.

Asking attendees to leave their mobile devices out of the room may be a security measure in one instance, but it poses a risk in another as it leaves their devices vulnerable to theft, tampering and data leaks.

It’s also important to consider the impact your ‘no mobile device’ policy may have on your employees or visitors. If their device is at risk of being stolen or tampered with, it puts them in a vulnerable position too – not to mention the separation anxiety they might experience by not having their smartphone to hand.

This fear is called Nomophobia (NO MObiles PHone PhoBIA). It’s unsurprising when you think about how much we rely on our phones, not just for communicating, but for travel arrangements, hotel bookings, directions etc.

According SMS marketing platform, SlickText, 50% of respondents to their latest survey feel uneasy when they leave their phone at home. Furthermore, 48% of the population experience fear or anxiety when their phone battery drops below the 20% mark.

The reality is, we are so attached to our smartphones, they have become an extension of ourselves. A necessity. So much so, that it was even reported by the U.N. that more people have mobile phones than toilets. Out of the world’s estimated 7 billion people, 6 billion have access to mobile phones. Only 4.5 billion have access to working toilets.

If your organisation invests in the best interests of your staff and their wellbeing, reassuring them with safe and secure mobile device storage when needed is a logical measure.

What we’re able to offer now is the integration of smart technology into physical security, which is constantly evolving to protect assets in the modern world. At D-Tech International, our research, development and manufacturing are carried out in-house. This helps us fully understand market needs and translate this through all elements of design and manufacturing.

As a leading provider of technology solutions to public sector and private organisations for over twenty years, we are committed to responding to new challenges within government and corporate settings with the latest technology. It is this M.O. that led to the launch of our SMART locker solutions last year. Fundamentally, our SMART lockers ensure the protection of high-security assets whilst offering ease of use for the end-user.