Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is an electrical device that provides emergency backup power to connected equipment when the primary power source fails. It uses integrated batteries to deliver continuous electricity during outages, allowing critical IT infrastructure—such as servers, firewalls, routers, and switches—to remain operational or shut down gracefully. In cybersecurity, a UPS is considered a fundamental physical security control that directly supports the availability pillar of the CIA triad by preventing unexpected system downtime and potential data loss.

Beyond battery backup, modern UPS systems also perform power conditioning, filtering out harmful surges, voltage sags, and electrical noise that can corrupt data or damage sensitive hardware. By shielding essential network and security devices from power anomalies, a UPS strengthens operational resilience, supports business continuity planning, and ensures that security systems such as intrusion detection platforms and access controls remain active even during power disruptions. It is a foundational component of any comprehensive infrastructure protection strategy.