Physical
Security
Village
Physical Security Village appears at conferences and community events to teach practical physical security through hands-on exhibits, talks, and approachable demonstrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The quick version of what PSV is, what you can learn with the village, and how to get involved if you want to help run it.
The Physical Security Village (or PSV) is a not-for-profit dedicated to physical security education! We most commonly appear as a “village” at security conferences, where you can come by our room and try our hands-on exhibits covering topics like bypass techniques, access control, RFID, lockpicking, and remediations!
We have many educational hands-on exhibits, where you can learn about various physical security topics. These include motion sensor demonstrations and vehicular security setups, but our mainstay exhibits are our mini-doors with all sorts of commonly seen door hardware – you’ll learn common vulnerabilities such as improperly protected latches, door handles and knobs that can be used from the other side of the door, and how alarm systems can be defeated and surveillance systems avoided.
Absolutely not! PSV welcomes everyone from total beginners to seasoned professionals. We are one of the most accessible villages in terms of being able to come and quickly understand whats going on without prior knowledge. If you run into any trouble, ask any of our volunteers in green shirts and they’ll help you out!
Yes! Many of our past talks are recorded and available here, and you can still access a lot of the online hands-on content we developed during COVID right here on this site. Finally, we have a Discord server where people share fun physical security-related material they discover and learn about what the village is up to!
We open volunteer applications ahead of each conference! Keep an eye on our Discord server and social media for announcements. Volunteers help with setup, teardown, staffing stations, and assisting attendees throughout the event.
Yes! We publish a Call for Papers (CFP) each year. We're looking for talks and workshops on any topic related to physical security - attack techniques, defensive research, case studies, new tools, or novel vulnerabilities. All levels of speakers are welcome.