What is the difference between physical security controls and environmental controls?

• A. Physical security protects people and assets from unauthorized access; environmental controls protect equipment and operations from hazards such as fire or flood.
• B. Physical security measures the organization’s software configurations; environmental controls focus on personnel training.
• C. Environmental controls protect people and assets; physical security protects hardware infrastructure.
• D. Physical security and environmental controls are identical in scope and purpose.

Answer: (A)

Physical security controls focus on stopping unauthorized entry and protecting people and assets from tampering or theft. They include measures like locks, access-control systems, guards, perimeters, and surveillance that restrict who can reach the assets.

Environmental controls, by contrast, manage the conditions around the equipment and the operations to defend against environmental hazards such as fires, floods, extreme temperatures, humidity, and power disruptions. They encompass fire suppression, climate control, water-detection systems, and power backup.

So the difference lies in scope: physical security protects people and assets from unauthorized access, while environmental controls protect equipment and operations from environmental threats. The other options mix in software configurations or training, or reverse or equate the two, which doesn’t fit how these controls are structured.