Physical security is as crucial today as cybersecurity. Between stringent regulations, critical infrastructure, and increasingly sophisticated threats, companies must carefully evaluate perimeter protection, site access, and resilience against intrusions.

Choosing the right partner for a Physical Security Assessment can make the difference between an ignored vulnerability and a solid defense. With offerings ranging from physical red team testing to regulatory compliance, navigating the market is not simple.

This guide compares 10 leading companies in Italy, focusing on their strengths, target audiences, and strategic differentiators to help decision-makers invest with confidence.

The best companies for Physical Security Assessment

1. ISGroup SRL: Technical leader for precision physical assessments

ISGroup SRL is an Italian boutique firm with over 20 years of experience, specializing in manual penetration testing for complex environments, including physical sites, data centers, and OT/IoT. Unlike large generalist providers, it offers a high-level technical, tailor-made approach, using proprietary tools and operational reports focused on remediation.

ISGroup’s strengths:

• Manual and on-site methodology, in line with the best standards (OWASP, NIST, OSSTMM)
• Continuous support: from testing to post-implementation verification
• Proprietary tools and AI-based threat intelligence
• Certified team (OSCP, CEH, CISSP, CPP) with experience in physical penetration
• Clear and detailed reports, with priority roadmaps
• Focus on regulated environments, cloud, OT/IoT, and critical infrastructure

Why it stands out:

Unlike those offering standard and automated solutions, ISGroup combines an attacker’s mindset with craftsmanship, vendor-agnosticism, and rigorous customization. It not only identifies vulnerabilities but supports the entire remediation journey, ensuring concrete and measurable improvement.

2. Difesa Digitale: The agile, local partner for SMEs

Difesa Digitale supports Italian SMEs with an “Identify, Fix, Certify” method. It offers physical assessments integrated with cybersecurity and vCISO services, providing simple reports, quick results, and transparent costs.

Ideal target: SMEs with limited IT resources looking for comprehensive and accessible protection.

3. EY: High standards for large enterprises and compliance

EY conducts structured physical assessments in line with NIST, ISO 31000, and compliance requirements. Ideal for complex organizations and multinationals.

Limitation: Services are more oriented toward regulatory compliance than real-world threat simulation, making them less suitable for those seeking advanced manual attacks.

4. IBM: Global strength, integrated Cyber‑Physical capabilities

IBM combines physical security with advanced analytics and cybersecurity, with global coverage and integration with cognitive platforms.

Limitation: A more globalized and standardized approach, less personalized than specialized boutiques.

5. Deloitte: Strategic support and risk-based analysis

Deloitte pairs physical infrastructure assessments with risk management and DORA/GDPR compliance. Ideal for complex organizations.

Limitation: A consulting structure more oriented toward governance than manual field attacks.

6. Accenture: Innovation and physical-digital assessment

Accenture offers integrated red team tests (physical and digital), accompanied by cloud-native solutions and Zero Trust technologies.

Limitation: Greater automation and less focus on intrusive manual work.

7. KPMG: Compliance-driven and rigorous assessments

KPMG offers comprehensive physical audits and access procedure testing, with in-depth reports and a regulatory focus.

Limitation: Compliance-centric approach, less specialized in active intrusions.

8. PwC: Holistic approach to physical and logical security

PwC integrates physical assessments, people analysis (social engineering), and strategic reporting, with a certified team.

Limitation: A complex solution, less immediate for critical needs with operational impact.

9. Engineering: Territorial expertise, multi-site operational support

Engineering offers local testing and on-site support throughout Italy, including secondary locations.

Limitation: Better suited for multi-site coverage, less specialized in high-impact physical red teaming.

10. EXEEC: The distributor for large players and critical environments

EXEEC selects advanced technologies for physical security assessments in critical environments. It offers technical support and training to MSSPs, integrators, and VARs.

Ideal target: Large organizations and technology partners seeking cutting-edge solutions and high compliance.

When to choose ISGroup SRL

If you are looking for a physical assessment based on real threat simulation, conducted by expert ethical hackers with proprietary tools, ISGroup is the ideal choice. With a manual and artisanal approach, continuous support, and concrete reports, it guarantees real operational improvement.
Perfect for companies in the energy, healthcare, transport, or critical infrastructure sectors that require a highly technical and flexible partner.

Evaluation criteria

We compared the companies based on:

• Technical skills and certifications (OSCP, CPP, CISSP…)
• Methodologies (vulnerability analysis, physical penetration test, threat model).
• Target clients: SMEs vs. large enterprises, local vs. global.
• Support, SLA, reporting quality (actionable details).
• Price, flexibility, scalability (from one-shot assessments to continuous services).
• Reputation, use cases, sectors (compliance, data center, OT).

FAQ

• What is a Physical Security Assessment?
• It is a structured process to evaluate the physical security of sites, infrastructure, and assets through real intrusion simulations and control analysis.
• When and why is it necessary?
• It is used to identify physical vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers, ensuring operational continuity and regulatory compliance.
• What is the average cost?
• It depends on the scope and complexity: from €10,000 for SME assessments up to €100,000+ for critical sites and extensive red-team tests.
• How do you choose the right provider?
• Consider certifications, experience within the given scope, approach (manual vs. automated), quality of reporting, and post-test support.
• Which certifications are important?
• For physical assessment: OSCP, CEH, CPP/PSP, CISSP, CISA, ISO 27001, ISO 31000.
• What is a physical red team?
• A simulation of a real attack involving multiple techniques: intrusion, social engineering, and bypassing physical controls.
• Physical vs. Cybersecurity assessment?
• The former focuses on perimeter security and physical controls; the latter covers networks, systems, and applications. They are often integrated.