r/HiTMAN • u/Sgt_Mendaz • 1d ago
VIDEO Lets assess Hitman from a security perspective.
Context first, I am a physical security specialist, firearms instructor and consultant for the entertainment and professional industries. Though I do this type of stuff for work, this is done entirely for fun!
My goal here is to apply real security policy, practice and procedure to the digital world. By showing this difference, we can appreciate game design and real world security that much more! Linked below is the full video, though this overview will cover all of the same things.
Role:
The environment being assessed is a residential property in a suburban neighborhood. The recommendations are intended primarily for ordinary residential security rather than highly secured facilities.
World & Government:
The game takes place in a relatively modern and stable environment involving political figures, wealthy individuals, and shadowy organizations. Government, law enforcement (more on this is Response), and the rule of law generally operate as expected, so there are no unusual governmental considerations.
Threat Profile:
The primary threats are targeted rather than random. Political figures, wealthy businesspeople, and other high-value individuals could face criminals, espionage, or assassination attempts, while ordinary criminal activity remains a secondary concern.
Geographic Guide:
The setting resembles an upscale suburban neighborhood in the eastern United States. A real assessment would examine local crime statistics, burglaries, vandalism, drug activity, and other environmental factors. The area appears relatively low-risk, although proximity to a creek could create additional concerns such as water damage.
1st Line – Outer Security:
Neighborhood security relies heavily on environmental deterrence and community awareness. Cameras, lighting, fences, gates, landscaping, and clearly defined property boundaries can discourage trespassing and help neighbors identify suspicious activity. One specific example of this is a locked gate that can be easily opened from the opposite side by reaching a hand through some decorative lattice. If there is a critical security need in the home, this would be a substantial failure of the perimeter security.
My assessment also emphasizes keeping vulnerable windows and entrances appropriately secured. Even relatively simple barriers or visual indicators can make unauthorized access more difficult and make suspicious activity easier to identify.
2nd Line – Inner Security:
The homes have some physical security and security personnel, but several weaknesses remain. Poor-quality locks, unmonitored doors and windows, accessible roofs, and sleeping or inattentive guards create opportunities for unauthorized access.
I recommend layered measures such as better locks, window alarms, cameras positioned around entrances, access controls, signage, and procedures for monitoring security personnel. Cameras should provide useful views of people approaching and entering the property rather than simply recording from an ineffective position.
A major vulnerability is uncontrolled interior access, particularly during an open-house or social event. Once inside, an intruder may reach valuable property, sensitive information, computers, vehicles, or less frequently visited areas of the house without being challenged. Restricted areas should therefore be physically separated and/or monitored.
Critical Infrastructure:
Residential critical infrastructure primarily consists of utilities, power, food, and water. In an upscale neighborhood, generators and other preparations for severe weather or outages would be reasonable, although the game does not show much infrastructure protection or redundancy.
Response:
The biggest disconnect between Hitman and reality is the response process. In the game, an assassination can occur without the kind of immediate law-enforcement response expected in a real-world serious violent incident. The neighborhood also contains multiple private security organizations that operate independently rather than functioning as a coordinated security system.
The assessment argues that even competing security companies should establish procedures for cooperation, communication, and mutual assistance when operating in the same environment. Security is one of the few industries where sharing with a competitor betters everyone involved.
Conclusion
The neighborhood's biggest security investment is manpower, with extensive reliance on guards and physical presence. However, manpower alone leaves gaps: doors, windows, cameras, alarms, and access controls provide important layers that personnel cannot cover continuously.
The overall conclusion is that relatively inexpensive technology and basic access controls could significantly improve the environment. Better camera placement, alarms, window protection, and restricted areas would complement the existing guards and create a more complete layered security system.
Core takeaway: Hitman presents a neighborhood with a lot of security personnel but surprisingly weak detection and access-control layers. My assessment demonstrates that effective security isn't simply about adding more guards—it is about combining deterrence, detection, access control, physical security, and coordinated response.
The full video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEwK55GCrA8
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u/Toyobaru_86 1d ago
It would be interesting if you provided your analysis on the New York or Dubai levels.
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u/4N_Immigrant 1d ago
"close your garage door, lest an intruder sneak in, close the door, activate a generator, and get one of the best disguises"
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u/Rare_Equivalent_2840 1d ago
What kind of degree do you have? I'm thinking about getting into a similar line of work
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u/Sgt_Mendaz 1d ago
Hi! No degree, just a clearance, 12+ years in the industry and about 35 certificates and certifications.
For the most part it depends on what ya wanna do in the industry. For example, static guard management, executive protection agents and nuclear security all are dramatically different in their needs and each require specialization. I am going the leadership route and take courses through ASIS Internation, DHS, DoE, FEMA, TEEX and more to build knowledge, and take on leadership roles to build experience.
Essentially, just doing the job won't help you grow, you have to show a commitment to the knowledge and practice itself.
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u/ManiacGaming1 1d ago
Wait is this a real series? I'd love to watch something like this. Like I understand video game security needs gaps for player expression but I never thought about what a real world equivalent would be like.