Most Americans Believe Building Security Has Not Improved Since 9/11

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks reshaped aviation security in the United States, a new national survey reveals that most Americans do not believe physical security in buildings has significantly improved. According to the survey, 79% of U.S. adults do not feel that physical security in buildings has substantially advanced since 2001. The findings, which were conducted by YouGov and funded by Alcatraz AI, highlight a significant gap in security measures that have been prioritized in aviation but not in everyday buildings.

The survey, which comes after a summer of high-profile security breaches at prominent U.S. buildings, underscores the urgency of updating physical security technology. In May, an intruder tailgated students through secured doors into UCLA dormitories, where he is accused of sexually assaulting four women. Similarly, at Harvard University's Lowell House, a man followed a student through a card-secured gate and a badge-secured door, attempting to kidnap a female undergraduate. These incidents, along with others, have raised concerns about the vulnerability of keycard and badge-based access control systems.

Security industry researchers have long identified tailgating as a persistent vulnerability in badge-based access control systems. These systems are designed to verify a credential but not the identity of the person using it. In June, two individuals purchased tickets to the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor observatory, hid inside after closing, and cut through two locks overnight to reach restricted floors. They went undetected until they livestreamed the breach to nearly two million followers that afternoon. Weeks later, a man followed an employee through a badge-secured door at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York and confronted TODAY show anchor Craig Melvin before being detained by security.

Alcatraz AI CEO Tina D'Agostin highlighted the critical need for upgrading physical security technology in buildings, stating, "We have spent 25 years upgrading aviation security with the latest technologies but have not kept pace in the spaces where most of us live and work. Keycard and badge technology is 30 years old. It is completely unintelligent. These headline breaches this summer are a warning about the need to upgrade physical security in our buildings, and Americans are saying it is urgent."

The survey also found that 73% of Americans consider upgrading physical security technology at least somewhat urgent. Furthermore, 53% of respondents say they feel less safe in public than they did 25 years ago. The data reveals that 64% of Americans believe buildings with large numbers of occupants should be legally required to detect and report a security breach in real time, with 69% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans agreeing.

Matthew Powell, Senior Director of Infrastructure Markets at Alcatraz AI, emphasized, "After 9/11, airports received investment, became more secure, and learned to balance security with the passenger experience. We never did the same for the buildings people spend their days in. Nuclear and energy companies, data centers, and critical infrastructure use state of the art technology. Updating technology to secure everyday spaces is long overdue, and the survey shows Americans understand that."

Alcatraz AI, known as the Face ID of physical spaces, is an AI-powered physical access control company headquartered in Cupertino, California. Its flagship product, the Rock, replaces badge-based and legacy biometric security with fully anonymized facial authentication and real-time tailgating detection. The company is trusted in the highest security standards and certifications, including those of hyperscale data centers, financial institutions, airports, and nuclear and energy infrastructure.