Introduction
Security risk assessment Alwinco – You’ve invested in the best security money can buy: bulletproof glass, state-of-the-art cameras, and high-tech alarms. But here’s the hard truth: 95% of your security system can be bypassed. Why? A person, not a piece of metal or a camera lens, holds the true key to your security. When compromised, the “human key” poses the greatest threat to your entire security setup, potentially bringing down everything you’ve diligently worked to safeguard.
The Human Key in Security Risk Assessment in Polokwane
At Alwinco, we recognize that security is never just about walls, gates, or technology. It is about people. The human factor is often the key to both security risks and solutions. Recently, we conducted an independent security risk assessment in Polokwane, focusing on how staff awareness, behavior, and decision-making impact overall security. By investigating and identifying these human elements, we provided clear recommendations to strengthen security from the inside out.
If you would like to learn more about our assessments or have specific topics you want us to cover, please email your suggestions to andre@alwinco.co.za. We will create and publish articles tailored to your interests on our website.
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In security risk assessment, we refer to a ‘human key.’
The master key to all your safe areas, cash rooms, and any spaces you consider safe. I firmly believe that 95% of currently installed security measures will not stop a criminal. Just as a key is used to unlock doors, a human key grants access, but with far more severe consequences. The repercussions of a compromised human key can be devastating. The News24 video (watch here) illustrates the concept of the human key in action.
It serves as a clear reminder that security extends beyond hardware; it is about people, processes, and opportunities that criminals exploit. The criminal incident in the video took place in Limpopo on 15 January 2022. As you watch the footage, you will notice a double door, presumably fitted with bulletproof glass. The office is also equipped with video cameras, which is why the footage is available. Technically, the area should be a secure room. # The human key Alwinco.
However, security measures alone are not enough.
In the video, the criminals force a woman to open the door. Three of them enter, while the last man remains outside, holding someone, possibly the security guard (the human key), as a hostage. This incident shows how security failures often stem from human factors rather than inadequate infrastructure. I believe these criminals threatened the women in the office, telling them they would shoot the guard if they did not open the door. This incident is exactly what we mean by a human key: the criminals used the security guard as leverage to gain access to the area where the money should have been safe.
The real issue is that people do not fully understand the concept of security risk.
Despite significant investment in a secure door, bulletproof glass, and a camera system, the fundamental risk remained unaddressed. Security is not just about physical barriers; without considering human weakness, the opportunity for crime still exists. This incident also indicates that the installers did not conduct a proper security risk assessment before implementing the security system. The same type of risk exists in estates, businesses, and any property where criminals can gain access to the security guard.
When a criminal has control over a person, even the most advanced security measures become ineffective.
No amount of high-tech equipment can compensate for the vulnerability created by the human key.
• The human key extends beyond security guards. In a home environment, it could be your children, your spouse, your parents, or any family member. Criminals exploit the people you care about to bypass security measures, making human vulnerability the greatest risk in any security system.
• The human key can also be an employee, a financial manager, a CEO, or a cleaner. In corporate environments, criminals often target key role players such as the CEO, finance personnel, and IT employees, as these individuals have access to critical systems and assets. Ultimately, a human key is anyone a criminal can reach and manipulate, blackmail, hold hostage, or otherwise pressure into granting access.
A security risk assessment is an in-depth investigation of your existing security structure to identify the security risks that create opportunities for crime. Security risk arises where threat and opportunity intersect. In other words, risk exists when your property presents an opportunity for a crime to take place.
This article was written by Andre Mundell. # The human key Alwinco
We have conducted more than ten security risk assessments in Witbank, Mpumalanga, and we aim to do many more in the area. Contact us to learn how we can help you secure your property and assets.
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We do security risk assessments for customers in Arcadia, Bloemfontein, Bluff, Pretoria, Observatory, and Gauteng, like Braamfontein, Jhb CBD, Kempton Park, etc. These assessments apply to homes, businesses, industrial estates, farms, and other types of property.
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