Achieving Zero Trust Principles Within Physical Security for Schools and Universities

Modern campuses are fast-moving environments with constant activity, open spaces, and numerous points of entry. Schools and universities depend heavily on security technology to manage this movement, yet traditional models often assume that people and devices are trustworthy once they’re inside the perimeter.

Zero Trust offers a more resilient approach as it:

• Places identity and credentialing at the center of physical access, using role-based permissions and immediate credential revocation.
• Emphasizes continuous device verification and network segmentation to detect unusual behavior from cameras, locks, and readers.
• Recommends integrated event workflows across access control, VMS, alarms, and lockdown tools with phased steps for practical adoption.

It shifts the focus to identity, behavior, and ongoing verification across access control, cameras, alarms, and lockdown tools.

Here’s how schools can use Zero Trust principles to strengthen physical security and create a more consistent, accountable system across their facilities.

What Zero Trust Means for Physical Security

Zero Trust begins with the idea that no person or device should receive automatic trust. Instead, identity and behavior must match what the system expects. In physical security, this applies to access credentials, door activity, alarm events, and communication between security devices.

Recent studies show how urgent this shift is becoming, with 97 percent of organizations reporting challenges validating user identity and over 60 percent experiencing a physical security breach tied to misused or improperly issued credentials.

For schools and universities, Zero Trust is a design approach rather than a standalone product. It encourages administrators to evaluate how people move through buildings, how access rights are granted, and how systems respond when something falls outside normal patterns.

Because campuses house a wide range of roles and activity levels, a model based on verification rather than assumption fits naturally into these environments.

Moving Beyond Perimeter Thinking

Many institutions focus heavily on controlling the outer perimeter. Keeping entrances monitored and directing visitors through a central point remains important, but these steps do not fully address the way modern campuses operate. Multiple buildings, shared community use, and frequent movement throughout the day create activity well beyond the main doors.

Zero Trust broadens the focus. It views interior areas such as classrooms, labs, administrative offices, server rooms, and emergency exits as zones with their own rules. This leads districts to look more closely at their access control systems and how features like wireless door locks, credential permissions, and door schedules can help maintain structure inside the building, not just at the entrance.

Identity at the Center of Physical Access

Identity drives the way Zero Trust functions in a physical setting. Students, teachers, custodial teams, contractors, and administrators all use buildings differently. Their access should be based on those responsibilities rather than general affiliation with the institution.

A strong credentialing process supports this approach. Instead of relying on broad access, the system assigns permissions by role, turns off access immediately when a credential is removed from the system, and creates clear audit trails for door activity. Many campuses are already adopting this model by using multi-factor door authentication for high-risk spaces like server rooms and labs, requiring badge + biometric verification, and by integrating identity-governance tools that automatically deactivate both physical and digital access the moment a user leaves the organization. Temporary access for visitors, substitutes, and vendors can be managed within the same framework.

When paired with a reliable access control system, this type of identity management creates a more predictable environment and reduces opportunities for unauthorized movement.

Continuous Verification Through Device Behavior

Zero Trust also applies to the devices that make up the security infrastructure. Cameras, wireless locks, card readers, and related hardware operate in consistent patterns when functioning properly. Their behavior provides a baseline that helps identify irregularities.

A door that stays open longer than expected signals a possible issue. A credential used in an unusual location prompts further review. A camera that disconnects from the network may indicate a technical problem that needs attention. These reactions support continuous verification because the system pays attention not only to who is accessing spaces but also to how the security devices themselves are performing.

Linking Events Across Access Control, VMS, and Alarms

Physical security is more effective when systems communicate. Access control, video management tools, alarms, and lockdown components should support one another rather than operate independently. Integrating these pieces allows campuses to respond quickly when something unexpected occurs.

For example, if a forced entry is detected, video at that location can be marked for review, so administrators can find the relevant footage without delay. During a lockdown, access control can secure designated zones in sync with the action taken.

When someone attempts to enter a restricted area with a valid credential, the system records both the door activity and the video event. These connections create a more complete understanding of what is happening in the building and support clearer reporting.

Applying Zero Trust to Lockdown Strategy

Lockdown systems fit naturally within a Zero Trust approach. A lockdown is not just a button press. It involves access control hardware, alarms, communication tools, and established workflows. Zero Trust encourages districts to review who can activate a lockdown, which doors should respond immediately, and how events should be recorded.

A structured process helps campuses execute lockdowns consistently. Access control systems can secure assigned doors; alarms can signal the condition, and administrators can review a clear timeline of what occurred. This supports faster, more organized reactions during emergencies and gives leaders the information they need afterward.

Strengthening the Network That Supports Physical Security

Modern security devices rely on the same network used throughout the campus. Without proper configuration, this can introduce unnecessary risk. Zero Trust encourages teams to isolate the security network from general traffic and to use secure communication for devices like cameras and access control hardware. This creates a more stable environment for the security system and supports the long-term reliability of the equipment.

Best practice now includes placing all cameras, controllers, and security appliances on segmented VLANs with encrypted video streams, ensuring attackers cannot move laterally from general IT networks into the physical security layer; modern systems reinforce this with role-based access, secure remote camera access, and recurring token/key rotation to align with Zero-Trust expectations.

Schools often gain the most from working with a security integrator that understands both the physical components and the network behind them. When these areas are aligned, devices operate more consistently, and administrators gain a stronger base for system growth.

Taking the First Steps Toward Zero Trust

Schools do not need to overhaul their entire security setup to begin moving toward Zero Trust. Most start by reviewing access permissions and tightening credentialing practices. Others begin with network segmentation or by improving event logging across cameras, alarms, and access control.

Another common step is strengthening system monitoring so unusual activity is identified quickly. These early changes gradually create a more predictable and structured security environment, allowing campuses to build on what they already have rather than replacing everything at once.

Building Toward a Smarter and More Resilient Campus

Zero Trust gives schools and universities a practical way to use their existing security tools more effectively. By placing emphasis on identity, behavior, and system coordination, campuses can create stronger controls and clearer accountability. What matters most is working with a partner who understands how video surveillance, alarms, access control systems, and building lockdown features can support one another through thoughtful design.

If you want a security partner who understands how schools really operate, we at Digital Provisions are here for you. Connect with our digital security experts or head to our website to see how our solutions support safer, better-organized campuses.