2 cissp ® Official Study Guide Eighth Edition

Static voltage
Possible damage
40
Destruction of sensitive circuits and other electronic components
1,000
Scrambling of monitor displays
1,500
Destruction of data stored on hard drives
2,000
Abrupt system shutdown

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Implement Site and Facility Security Controls 
417
Static voltage
Possible damage
4,000
Printer jam or component damage
17,000
Permanent circuit damage
Water Issues (e.g., Leakage, Flooding)
Water issues, such as leakage and flooding, should be addressed in your environmental 
safety policy and procedures. Plumbing leaks are not an everyday occurrence, but when 
they do happen, they can cause significant damage.
Water and electricity don’t mix. If your computer systems come in contact with water, 
especially while they are operating, damage is sure to occur. Plus, water and electricity
create a serious risk of electrocution for nearby personnel. Whenever possible, locate server 
rooms, datacenters, and critical computer equipment away from any water source or
transport pipes. You may also want to install water detection circuits on the floor around 
mission-critical systems. Water-detection circuits will sound an alarm and alert you if water 
is encroaching upon the equipment.
To minimize emergencies, be familiar with shutoff valves and drainage locations. In 
addition to monitoring for plumbing leaks, you should evaluate your facility’s ability to 
handle severe rain or flooding in its vicinity. Is the facility located on a hill or in a valley? Is 
there sufficient drainage? Is there a history of flooding or accumulation of standing water? 
Is a server room in the basement or on the first floor?
Fire Prevention, Detection, and Suppression
Fire prevention, detection, and suppression must not be overlooked. Protecting personnel 
from harm should always be the most important goal of any security or protection system. 
In addition to protecting people, fire detection and suppression is designed to keep damage 
caused by fire, smoke, heat, and suppression materials to a minimum, especially as regards 
the IT infrastructure.
Standard fire prevention and resolution training involve knowledge of the fire triangle 
(see Figure 10.2). The three corners of the triangle represent fire, heat, and oxygen. The 
center of the triangle represents the chemical reaction among these three elements. The 
point of the fire triangle is to illustrate that if you can remove any one of the four items 
from the fire triangle, the fire can be extinguished. Different suppression mediums address 
different aspects of the fire:
■
Water suppresses the temperature.
■
Soda acid and other dry powders suppress the fuel supply.
■
CO
2
suppresses the oxygen supply.
■
Halon substitutes and other nonflammable gases interfere with the chemistry of com-
bustion and/or suppress the oxygen supply.

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418
Chapter 10 
■
Physical Security Requirements
F I g u R e 10 . 2
The fire triangle
Chemical
Reaction
Heat
Oxygen
Fuel
When selecting a suppression medium, consider what aspect of the fire triangle it 
addresses, what this really represents, how effective the suppression medium usually is, and 
what impact the suppression medium will exert on your environment.
In addition to understanding the fire triangle, you should understand the stages of fire. 
Fires go through numerous stages, and Figure 10.3 addresses the four most vital stages.
F I g u R e 10 . 3
The four primary stages of fire