## 7.12 Cabling security

  

| **Control type** | **Information security properties** | **Cybersecurity concepts** | **Operational capabilities** | **Security domains** |

|------------------|------------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------|

| #Preventive | #Confidentiality #Availability | #Protect | #Physical_security | #Protection |

  

**Control**

  

Cables carrying power, data or supporting information services should be protected from interception, interference or damage.

  

**Purpose**

  

To prevent loss, damage, theft or compromise of information and other associated assets and interruption to the organization’s operations related to power and communications cabling.

  

**Guidance**

  

The following guidelines for cabling security should be considered:

  

a\) power and telecommunications lines into information processing facilities being underground where possible, or subject to adequate alternative protection, such as floor cable protector and utility pole; if cables are underground, protecting them from accidental cuts (e.g. with armoured conduits or signals of presence);

  

b\) segregating power cables from communications cables to prevent interference;

  

c\) for sensitive or critical systems, further controls to consider include:

  

1\) installation of armoured conduit and locked rooms or boxes and alarms at inspection and termination points;

  

2\) use of electromagnetic shielding to protect the cables;

  

3\) periodical technical sweeps and physical inspections to detect unauthorized devices being attached to the cables;

  

4\) controlled access to patch panels and cable rooms (e.g. with mechanical keys or PINs);

  

5\) use of fibre-optic cables;

  

d\) labelling cables at each end with sufficient source and destination details to enable the physical identification and inspection of the cable.

  

Specialist advice should be sought on how to manage risks arising from cabling incidents or malfunctions.

  

**Other information**

  

Sometimes power and telecommunications cabling are shared resources for more than one organization occupying co-located premises.