What is a commercial security audit?
A commercial security audit is a structured look at the systems that already protect a site: access control, CCTV, intercoms, intruder detection, and often gates and barriers. The point is to find gaps, failures and compliance issues, then set out what should be fixed now, what can wait, and what is fine to leave as it is.
It is most useful when you have inherited a system you did not specify, when equipment is ageing, when you are planning an upgrade, or after an incident has shown that something did not work as you expected. The output should be a plain-English report you can use to brief any competent installer, not only the company that wrote it. That is the service described on our security audits page.
How is it different from an IT or cybersecurity audit?
The words sound similar, and search results often mix them up, but they are different jobs.
| Commercial security audit | IT or cybersecurity audit | |
|---|---|---|
| What it looks at | Doors, locks, readers, cameras, alarms, intercoms, recording and how people actually use them | Networks, servers, software, accounts, data and information-security controls |
| Typical questions | Who can open this door? Does this camera still see the gate? Will the door unlock on fire alarm? Are former staff still in the system? | Who has access to systems and data? Are patches, backups and firewalls in place? How would a cyber incident be detected? |
| Who usually does it | A licensed security consultant or technician, or an electronic security contractor | An IT security or cybersecurity specialist |
Com4 carries out commercial, electronic security audits. We do not offer IT security or cybersecurity audits. If you need those, you should engage a specialist in that field. The two reviews can complement each other — for example, a camera system still has to sit on a network that is properly looked after — but one report does not replace the other.
What does a security system consultant do?
A security system consultant advises you on what security devices and services you need, and how they should be designed, specified or upgraded. That might be a written specification for a new build, a review of an existing site, or help comparing options before you invite installers to quote.
It is not the same as turning up to fit a reader or a camera, though many firms, including Com4, do both. Advice and design are the consulting work; installing, repairing or removing the equipment is technician work. For a new building or a major refurbishment, the consulting step is often a system design: door schedules, camera coverage, cabling and integration requirements, written so a contractor can price and build from them. For an existing site, an audit is usually the better first step, because you need to know what is already there before you change it.
A short introductory conversation, such as our free 15-minute consultation, can help you work out which of those you need. It is not a substitute for a full audit or a design.
Do they need to be licensed in New Zealand?
Yes, for the work described above. The Ministry of Justice, which administers the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority, says:
- Security technician — installing, repairing or removing security devices such as alarms or safes.
- Security consultant — giving advice about security devices or services.
Those classes come from the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010. The company needs a licence, and the people doing the work need a certificate of approval, unless an exemption applies. Registered electricians are exempt from the technician requirement for installation work, but still need a security consultant certificate if they sell or advise on systems.
You can search the PSPLA public register by company or individual name. It is worth doing for every quote, including ours. Com4 holds PSPLA licence 25-128630.
What gets checked in an audit?
A useful audit is done on site, not from a brochure. Typically it covers:
- Coverage. Doors, gates, entries and areas that are not protected, and cameras that no longer see what they should.
- Condition and support. Equipment at or near end of life, unsupported software, and failing batteries or power supplies.
- Configuration. Access levels, former staff still in the system, alarm areas, schedules, and CCTV retention settings.
- Integration and fire release. Whether doors, alarms and cameras work together, and whether access-controlled doors on escape routes release as they should. These doors are often specified system SS 3/2 and are inspected for the building warrant of fitness — see our guide to access-controlled doors on escape routes.
- Privacy and records. CCTV signage, retention, audio, and how footage requests are handled, measured against the Privacy Act, plus whether as-built documentation still exists.
You should leave with a written report: findings, risks, and a prioritised list of recommendations. If you then want a design or a staged upgrade, the report becomes the brief.
When is an audit the right first step?
An audit is usually the right starting point when:
- you take over a building, a lease or a property portfolio and did not install the current systems
- you are planning a major upgrade and need to know what can be reused
- something has failed, or an incident has raised questions about coverage or response
- you manage several sites and want a consistent standard, for example across a property portfolio, a school campus or a healthcare facility
If the site is a new build or a gut renovation, start with system design and consulting instead, and see how we work on construction and development projects. If you already know the system well and just need it serviced, go to service, maintenance and monitoring.
How Com4 can help
Com4 has been installing commercial security in Auckland since 2011, as Com4 since 2023, and holds PSPLA licence 25-128630. We audit existing access control, CCTV, intercoms and intruder detection, then, if you want us to, move from the report into design and a staged upgrade. The audit report is yours either way. We work across Auckland, from Penrose and East Tāmaki to the CBD, Wiri and Manukau and Albany and the North Shore, for commercial and industrial sites, property managers and occupied campuses. Call 0800 266 444 or use the form below.
Frequently asked questions
Is a security audit the same as a cybersecurity audit?
Do I need a security consultant or an installer?
What do I get at the end of an audit?
Do I have to use the same company for the upgrade?
Can you audit a system someone else installed?
Sources
- Ministry of Justice, Work you need a licence or certificate for, and the PSPLA public register
- New Zealand Legislation, Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010
- NZ Security Association, Security licences, including the electrician exemption
- Building Performance (MBIE), Guidance on building warrants of fitness and compliance schedules
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Privacy and CCTV, and the Privacy Act 2020
This guide is general information, not a formal audit or legal advice. Licensing, consent and privacy requirements depend on your site and the work being done.