Over the last 12 months, businesses across many major industries have reported a notable rise in physical security incidents, with over 55% of surveyed senior security professionals claiming that their organizations suffered significantly more attacks during 2025 than in 2024.

In an effort to combat novel threats, almost 60% of businesses are exploring advanced tools and systems built to automate critical tasks like intrusion detection. Driven by smart sensors, such solutions are capable of translating environmental data into proactive threat responses.

Here’s how organizations can use smart environmental sensors to protect high-risk facilities.

What Are Smart Environmental Sensors?

Smart environmental sensors are Internet of Things (IoT) devices designed to collect live data on real-world conditions like air quality, motion, sound and temperature. Sensors can be installed in key areas around a site to provide insights into safety and operational concerns.

When deployed within a high-risk facility, smart environmental sensors can help operators to detect and engage informed responses to safety threats. Sensor data can be communicated to on and off-site personnel in real-time and used to engage automated incident responses.

Key Types of Smart Security Sensors

A wide variety of sensor types can be leveraged to inform intelligent security operations. In a high-risk environment, physical security professionals will often use a combination of smart sensor devices to continuously monitor real-world conditions in search of anomalous events.

Common types of smart security sensors leveraged in high-risk facilities include:

• Motion: Motion sensors positioned inside and around the perimeter of high-risk sites provide teams with real-time insights about anomalous movements in specific areas.
• Sound: Sound sensors installed around access points and high-risk locations can be configured to warn teams of suspicious sounds like raised voices and breaking glass.
• Passive Infrared: Passive infrared sensors are designed to detect the body heat of potential intruders by monitoring prespecified areas for changes in infrared radiation.
• Biometric: Biometric fingerprint, iris and facial recognition sensors are often utilized in high-risk facilities to add additional layers of credential security to access systems.
• Air Quality: Air quality sensors detect a range of airborne pollutants like VOCs, CO2 and smoke; some tools serve dual purposes as vape detectors and security sensors.
• Temperature: Temperature sensors enable operators to remain informed of potential safety and security hazards associated with fires, equipment failures and explosions.

How Smart Sensors Are Used to Secure High-Risk Facilities

Ensuring the safety and security of high-risk facilities requires the constant observation and analysis of wide-ranging environmental conditions. Security personnel will typically leverage a combination of intelligent security technologies to gain a holistic view of emerging threats.

Alongside traditional security systems such as video security cameras and access control solutions, modern teams will leverage networks of smart environmental sensors to capture live information about real-world conditions and inform the operation of wider technologies.

Perimeter Security and Intrusion Detection

Perimeter security measures provide a first line of defence against targeted attacks. Teams tasked with safeguarding high-risk facilities use motion, sound and infrared sensors installed around perimeter walls and access points to identify the presence of unauthorized intruders.

Sensors are often linked to camera, access and management systems and programmed to inform automated responses. For example, a triggered motion sensor may instruct cameras to flag footage, access systems to instantly lock and communications systems to notify staff.

Smart sensors and wider security technologies will typically be integrated into a cloud-based security management system that can be accessed by operators remotely. In the event that sensors activate, data-rich alerts will be sent to on and off-site teams requesting a response.

Multi-Factor Access Control

Smart IoT sensors play an important role in the development of high-security access control systems deployed in high-risk facilities. Leaders leverage different types and combinations of sensors to enable smooth transit through low-risk areas and friction at high-risk entry points.

Primary access points and entrances to high-risk areas like server and asset storage rooms will be secured behind multi-factor credential readers, while access to low-risk areas beyond initial screening rooms will be secured behind efficient and intuitive mobile/key card readers.

As biometric information is much more difficult to fabricate than traditional credentials such as PIN codes and RFID card data, the use of layered biometric sensors to restrict access to high-risk areas helps to safeguard against threats leveraged by external and internal actors.

On-Site Environmental Monitoring

Smart sensors can also provide security teams with real-time insights into emerging threats and vulnerabilities inside high-risk facilities. On-site environmental monitoring informed by air quality, temperature and motion sensors acts to inform efficient real-time security operations.

Security staff stationed around the facility can access live data feeds and receive informative alerts by engaging with secure handheld smart devices. If a sensor is triggered, data-rich alerts are sent to staff detailing actionable information like the time and location of the event.

Operators can use these insights to inform physical operations such as patrols and security investigations. If an integrated security system is in operation, teams can also access wider devices like cameras and entry systems to gain further insight into events before responding.

Enhanced Video Security Operations

Smart environmental sensors offer the most significant security benefits when leveraged as part of an integrated security system. When combined with compatible CCTV cameras, IoT sensors can be configured to enhance video security operations via intelligent automations.

For example, workflows can be created whereby video management systems automatically record and flag footage of suspicious activities in response to triggered sensors. In practice, this enables operators to find relevant footage and engage responses swiftly and effectively.

On-site security personnel can be sent video clips of suspected threats via SMS, alongside data-rich sensor alerts. Further integrations with audible alarms and access control systems can equally be explored to support automated emergency responses and full-site lockdowns.

Conclusion

In recent times, targeted attacks against modern businesses have increased significantly, with operators of high-risk facilities facing more serious consequences than most. To reliably safeguard people and property, swift and proactive security measures must be implemented.

By using smart environmental sensors to inform live responses and enhance commercial security systems, business and security leaders can better detect, address and deter serious risks. If threat levels continue to rise, such systems will likely become increasingly essential.