Cyber + Physical: Bridging the Gap in Campus Security

Ask most schools about security, and they'll show you cameras, access controls, and a lockdown protocol. Ask their IT department, and they'll talk firewalls, phishing filters, and device monitoring.

Now ask this: Who’s making sure those two systems work together? If your answer is “no one,” your school has a serious blind spot.

Modern campus threats aren’t strictly physical or digital—they’re both. From ransomware attacks that shut down entire districts to swatting calls that send armed response teams to schools based on fake threats, the cyber-physical line is gone.

It’s time to bridge the gap.

Why the Cyber/Physical Divide Exists

Education security evolved in silos. Facilities managed doors and cameras. IT managed networks and data. But in today’s threat environment, they’re inseparable:

• Access control systems are networked

• Security cameras are vulnerable to remote hacking

• PA systems can be hijacked

• Student data breaches can trigger real-world threats

• Online threats (TikTok “challenges,” threats via email or text) lead to physical lockdowns

If your physical security plan doesn’t account for cyber vulnerabilities—or vice versa—you’re leaving your school exposed on both fronts.

Real-World Risks We’re Seeing

At TXG, we’re working with schools dealing with:

• Hacked security systems that disable alarms and cameras

• Phishing attacks that compromise staff credentials and allow unauthorized access

• “Swatting” hoaxes that weaponize 911 systems to trigger lockdowns and panic

• Students accessing administrative networks to change grades, leak data, or pull off pranks with serious consequences

All of it happens faster than traditional school security models are designed to handle.

The TXG Solution: Unified Security Strategy

We help schools build integrated cyber-physical security strategies that actually reflect the world we live in—not the one we trained for a decade ago.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Threat Convergence AssessmentA full risk review of your campus that covers both digital and physical entry points, cross-system dependencies, and active threats.

2. Cross-Training for Key TeamsWe bring IT, administration, facilities, and public safety into one room. Everyone learns each other’s systems, capabilities, and limitations.

3. Unified Emergency Response PlansWe build out response playbooks that account for:

• Cyber-triggered physical threats (e.g., system lockdowns, swatting)

• Physical-triggered cyber responses (e.g., data protection during evacuation)

• Communication redundancies (when primary systems fail)

4. Student & Staff Awareness ProgramsWe train your people—not just your systems. Digital hygiene. Device security. Threat recognition. Responsible reporting.

5. Red Team TestingWe simulate cyber-physical breaches to expose vulnerabilities before real adversaries do.

Final Word

The next threat to your school might come through the front door—or through your network. Odds are, it’ll hit both.

A “good enough” firewall and a locked door aren’t enough. You need systems that talk to each other, and people who know how to respond when they fail.

TXG helps educational institutions get ahead of modern hybrid threats—with the same expertise we bring to government and critical infrastructure clients.

Security isn’t a department. It’s a system.

Let’s make sure yours works.