Connect Com Case Study
fortControl provides Connect Com with a structured foundation to assess risks in the critical infrastructure environment.
Protecting critical infrastructure
The Swiss Federal Council aims to better protect critical infrastructures that are essential to the population and the economy from outages and attacks. The war in Ukraine has shown how targeted attacks on energy and communication systems can disrupt critical infrastructure. As a result, the protection and resilience of critical infrastructures are also of central importance in Switzerland. Operators of critical infrastructures are therefore faced with the question of where the biggest risks and vulnerabilities lie — and how these can be effectively mitigated.
Targeted protection measures
With fortControl, operators of critical infrastructures gain a structured overview of assets, threats, vulnerabilities and risks. This enables transparent risk assessment and the targeted implementation of protection measures. Risks in physical perimeter security have increased again in recent years but are still often underestimated. With SENTINEL™, medium to large perimeters can be monitored in real time using fibre-optic sensor technology, enabling suspicious activities to be detected early and precisely located via GPS coordinates.
A fence without real-time detection is just another inconvenience for intruders. What matters is having the right measures in the right places — based on a clear risk assessment, as enabled by fortControl.
Head Active Systems
A fence alone isn't enough: How modern perimeter security works today
Targeted attacks on energy and communication systems highlight how vulnerable critical infrastructure can be. Andreas Haupt, Head of Active Systems at Connect Com, explains why perimeter security today goes far beyond a fence — and which technologies make the difference.
Mr. Haupt, why is physical perimeter security becoming more important for critical infrastructure?
The threat landscape has changed significantly in recent years. Attacks on critical infrastructure — as we see, for example, in the war in Ukraine — demonstrate how essential it is to protect energy, communication and data systems. Operators of critical infrastructure are increasingly recognising that a fence alone does not provide sufficient protection. What really matters is the early detection of activities within the perimeter.
What role does fortControl play in this context?
fortControl helps operators of critical infrastructure analyse risks in a structured way. The platform enables a systematic assessment of assets, threats, vulnerabilities and risks. Based on this, targeted protection measures can be defined. This creates a clear overview of security gaps and priorities — and therefore also shows whether and where additional measures are needed in perimeter security.
What sets SENTINEL™ apart from traditional perimeter security solutions?
SENTINEL™ uses fibre-optic sensor technology to monitor large perimeters in real time. The system detects activities along a fence with minimal visibility and provides precise GPS coordinates. This allows security teams to respond immediately or trigger automated actions.
What are the practical benefits for operators of critical infrastructure?
A key advantage is increased efficiency. Regular patrols along large sites become largely unnecessary. At the same time, security improves because potential intrusions can be detected and precisely located at an early stage. This reduces both costs and response times.
The integration of drones is particularly interesting. How does this work in practice?
When SENTINEL™ detects an activity, precise GPS coordinates are automatically generated. These can be passed directly to a drone system, which then flies autonomously to the location and provides additional visual information. This is a major advantage, especially for very large perimeters.
Your personal take: What do many operators underestimate when it comes to perimeter security?
Many organisations underestimate the fact that a physical fence without intelligent detection has little deterrent effect when there is real intent to intrude. As I often say: a fence without real-time intrusion detection is just another inconvenience for intruders. Only the combination of sensor technology, analysis and rapid response creates real security.