Which physical security control is best described as detecting tampering with IT equipment?

• A. Access control badges
• B. Environmental sensors
• C. Tamper-evident seals
• D. Doors

Answer: (C)

Detecting tampering with IT equipment relies on a control that reveals when a device or its enclosure has been opened or interfered with. Tamper-evident seals provide a clear, visible indicator that a seal has been broken or removed, so you can immediately see if someone has accessed the hardware. They’re often used on servers, racks, and network devices, and each seal can carry a unique identifier for accountability and chain-of-custody. If the seal is intact, you have a reasonable assumption that the equipment hasn’t been opened; if it’s broken, you have actionable evidence to investigate.

Access control badges govern who can get into a facility or room, but they don’t tell you whether a particular piece of equipment was tampered with. Environmental sensors track conditions like temperature or humidity, not the physical state of the hardware. Doors control entry points, but opening a door doesn’t necessarily indicate that the equipment inside was tampered with. Tamper-evident seals specifically address the need to detect unauthorized access to the equipment itself, making them the best fit for this requirement.