Physical Security Assessment: Real-World Risks Inside U.S. Logistics Facilities

In Red Sentry’s physical security assessments across U.S. logistics facilities, we’ve repeatedly uncovered a major blind spot: the front desk. These often-overlooked entry points present serious logistics facility security risks, especially when freight data and internal networks are accessible from public-facing workstations.

This case study explores vulnerabilities we’ve observed in warehouse environments—specifically in shipping and receiving areas—where small oversights can create massive openings for attackers.

Scenario 1: Reception Desk Vulnerabilities in Warehouses

In many warehouses, the reception desk sits just behind a sliding glass window or partition. Staff use public-facing workstations to check in drivers, vendors, and visitors, which means computers are often:

• Within arm’s reach of the visitor window
• Positioned with USBs or Ethernet ports facing the guest
• Left unlocked or idle with no session timeout
• Lightly monitored, especially during off-peak hours

USB Attack Logistics in Action

It only takes a few minutes for an attack to happen.

A delivery driver walks in and urgently points to an issue in the docking area. While the receptionist is distracted, the driver plugs a USB payload into the workstation.

Scenario 2: The Self Check-In Trap

To streamline operations and reduce contact, some logistics facilities have installed public-facing, all-in-one terminals for driver check-ins. These systems often lack basic controls, resulting in the following security flaws:

• Unrestricted Windows access
• Visible browsers, settings, and taskbars
• No kiosk mode or session timeout
• USB ports fully accessible to any passersby

This configuration creates an open gateway into the network—no authentication required.

Why These Logistics Facility Security Risks Matter

In the fast-paced world of freight movement, speed is everything. But that urgency creates blind spots.

Reception areas and check-in terminals, while designed for convenience, often double as digital entry points into your internal systems. And attackers know it. They don’t need to sneak past your firewall when they can walk in through the front door.

These public-facing systems are frequently connected to shipment visibility dashboards, internal tools, and shared drives. Exploited vulnerabilities at these access points can lead to:

• Freight rerouting or theft
• Credential harvesting and unauthorized access
• Persistent access for long-term fraud or surveillance

This isn’t theoretical. These are real-world tactics used by freight fraud actors—exploiting the intersection of physical exposure and digital access.

Risk Matrix: Top Warehouse Cybersecurity Threats

The following chart outlines common front desk vulnerabilities in logistics facilities, their impact, and occurrence likelihood.

Additional Observations from Physical Security Assessments

Red Sentry’s team regularly identifies compounding vulnerabilities during logistics security audits, such as the following:

• VoIP phones with Ethernet jacks placed next to public windows
• Login credentials written on sticky notes or whiteboards
• Shipment schedules or driver rosters displayed in plain view
• Network closets unlocked and located near reception areas

In these environments, tools like Hak5’s Rubber Ducky or Packet Squirrel can be silently deployed in under 10 seconds, creating remote access backdoors without alerting IT or triggering endpoint protections.

The Missing Mindset: Zero Trust Security Model in Physical Spaces

These risks stem from a deeper issue: the lack of Zero Trust security principles in physical warehouse environments.

Too many logistics operations still rely on implicit trust and leave computers unlocked while unsupervised or unverified visitor entry. Zero Trust means no access is assumed safe—and that should extend all the way to your front desk.

Quantified Risk: Industry Perspective

According to public data from industry sources, the average value of inventory stored in U.S. warehouses ranges between $1 million and $5 million, depending on facility size and goods handled. In many logistics operations, shipment data and load routing for $500K–$2M in daily freight passes through systems accessible from exposed workstations like those described above.

Now consider this: How much damage could be done if an attacker decided to target one of these warehouses?

Red Sentry’s Recommendations to Reduce Logistics Network Vulnerabilities

These vulnerabilities are real—but also fixable with practical controls. Here’s what we recommend:

• Disable or restrict USB ports via software controls
• Lock down public terminals with kiosk-mode or dedicated check-in apps
• Enforce automatic session timeouts on all workstations
• Require visitor verification before allowing access to check-in systems
• Hide or secure VoIP and Ethernet connections near reception areas
• Segment the network to isolate public-facing endpoints
• Remove visible passwords or shipment data from guest-accessible areas

Don’t Let Your Front Desk Be Your Weakest Link

You wouldn’t leave your firewall open—so why leave a USB port unguarded?

Red Sentry’s physical security assessments help logistics companies uncover and fix overlooked vulnerabilities before they become costly incidents. We help bridge the gap between digital policy and real-world behavior—so attackers never get a foot in the door.

Ready to put your defenses to the test?

Our team specializes in uncovering real-world entry points that traditional audits miss. Schedule a physical security assessment with Red Sentry today—and make sure your facility isn’t leaving the front door wide open. Reach out to our team today to get started.