Genetec Inc., a global company in enterprise physical security software, is urging organizations to strengthen credential governance across connected physical security systems, as AI accelerates the scale and sophistication of cyber threats.

AI driven tools are accelerating credential-based attacks by increasing their speed, scale and precision. For organizations managing connected cameras, access control systems, servers and cloud services, weak or poorly governed credentials can expose sensitive operations and create new pathways into organizations. This includes the passwords used to connect directly to devices themselves, which are often overlooked but can provide a direct entry point if not properly managed. In this environment, relying on periodic password changes or basic cyber hygiene is no longer sufficient.

“AI is changing the speed and scale of cyber risk,” said Mathieu Chevalier, principal security architect, Genetec Inc. “Attackers can now move faster and are using AI to impersonate people, tailor social engineering attacks, uncover vulnerabilities at scale and evade detection. To respond, organizations need to actively govern access and identity across their systems, not just set controls once and hope they hold.”

These risks are already affecting organizations that manage physical security systems. The recent Genetec Enterprise Physical Security in the Cloud Era research, which was based on insights from more than 7,300 physical security professionals worldwide, found that 58.7% of organizations have experienced an increase in phishing and smishing attacks, while 41% reported a rise in overall physical or cyber incidents. Social engineering was identified by 43.5% as a leading attack vector.

Ahead of World Password Day, Genetec is encouraging organizations to move beyond isolated credential controls and adopt a governance first approach to identity management in physical security environments, including:

Organizations should eliminate default and shared credentials, enforce strong authentication such as passkeys and adopt multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce common attack entry points. This must extend to devices as well, replacing static passwords with certificate-based authentication when possible, and ensuring centralized management and regular credential rotation.

Bringing IT and physical security teams together helps apply consistent security standards, improve visibility into access risks and coordinate incident response. As physical security systems become more connected to enterprise networks, cross-functional alignment can help organizations identify weak points and respond more effectively to credential-based attacks.

Organizations should manage physical security infrastructure with the same rigor as other mission-critical systems. This includes regular access reviews, controlled updates and partnerships with trusted technology partners that support long-term security, transparency and operational resilience.