A vital part of any security plan, access control systems continue to evolve, sometimes faster than companies or institutions can keep up. In the 1980’s we had magnetic swipe cards that involved the transfer of unencrypted credentials to a reader. In the 1990’s contactless technology, predominantly low frequency proximity or “prox” technology led to fobs and tags making cards no longer necessary. In the early 2000’s, we saw contactless smart cards introduced. This technology added an additional layer of security called mutual authentication. And the cards could store more info so they could be used for such things as cashless vending.
In the 2010’s, second generation smart cards emerged. They addressed some of the vulnerabilities associated with the 1st gen smart cards and introduced additional applications. Today, next-gen involves the use of mobile devices which can authenticate from a distance. Rolling down the car window in a snow storm to open the parking garage gate is no longer required. Remote workers or visitors can be provided with credentials over-the-air. For companies or institutions with numerous short-term-employees or long-term vendors this can streamline credentials management. From the user standpoint, only one device is needed to access the cloud, data and physical doors. Costs are reduced, user experience is enhanced, system management is simplified and security is improved.
What decade is your access control from? An independent consultant from Safer Places can help you formulate a step by step plan to upgrade your technology, select the right products for your environment and choose the best security integrator to install and maintain your system while staying within your budget. Call the experts at Safer Places today: 508-947-0600.