Access Control Systems

At their most basic function, access control systems provide or deny the ability to enter a building, facility, or gated area. A number of components can be utilized in these control systems. The typical system allows or denies a person's physical entrance. Their ability to enter an area may be dependent on payment or authorization. Basic controls that we encounter on a daily basis include turnstiles, such as what you would see with an underground subway system, or a card swipe lock, which requires a programmed card to bypass. Other components include parking gates, doors, elevators, and other physical barriers. These types of access control are common sights.

Many businesses and industries are increasing their use of access control systems, particularly those that utilize badges and card swipe locks. These provide greater access control to areas that may contain personal information, like patient records at a doctor's office or a student's dorm. These systems are essential in ensuring the protection of both people and sensitive information.

Historically, the first access control systems were basic locks and keys. However, locks can be picked and keys can be replicated. Digital types, in association with close circuit television systems and DVR/NVR recording, allow you to not only allow entrance to certain individuals, but to also monitor that those are the people entering.

More technically advanced access control systems utilize digital computer technology that resolves the limitations of a simple lock and key. Entrance can be limited to only those who have the card with the appropriate entry credentials.

Continental Access provides you security systems that are useful for any industry or need.

Continental Access is a company that sells security systems. They specialize in high-tech access control systems that keep unwanted visitors away from sensitive areas. Those who wish see the systems available for purchase should visit http://www.cicaccess.com

Bringing Unbreachable Access Control to the Small Business World

Access control and security are pressing concerns for virtually all small and medium enterprises in the UK. No matter the industry in which a company is involved, the same security issues arise and, for most organizations, the same problems of finding robust solutions that protect premises from unwanted trespassers exist.

Currently external and internal access control to most buildings is by use of keys, keypads and swipe cards. All of these methods have obvious drawbacks as keys and swipe cards can be stolen or copied in order to gain illicit access to a premise whilst keypads rely on a user’s memory and integrity to maintain a trouble-free access control system for any organization.

By contrast a biometric access control system only allows authorized individuals entry to an area by inspecting an array of human physical characteristics that are unique to each and every individual on the planet.

Systems developed in the last five years can authenticate a person’s identity with total accuracy by comparing fingerprint patterns, iris structures and even facial features against a database that contains those same details and measurements of individuals allowed access to a particular building.

The obvious advantages of biometric access control systems based on unique human physical attributes are that it is impossible for an unwanted intruder to gain access by theft - there is nothing that can be stolen or replicated - and neither does a biometric system rely on the honesty and memory of an employee in the way that a keypad system does.

In simple terms a biometric access control system is extremely secure because it relies on unique human physical attributes that cannot be stolen or replicated. The system is unbreakable by any unauthorized personnel or unwanted visitors. It is an ultimate and incorruptible key.

Many people are aware of biometrics because we see the media stories about the technology now being integrated into passports so that more accurate citizen identifications can be made at airports by passport control officials. News stories such as these give a misleading impression that biometric access control is very expensive to install and is the preserve of governments, multinational corporations and extremely well-heeled celebrities.

In actual fact, top quality biometric systems are now being designed and sold with the needs and resources of small and medium sized businesses specifically in mind. Normally utilizing fingerprint pads located outside entrances, the retail systems now available have impeccable pedigree as they use the same technology that has been rigorously and repeatedly security tested by governments and multinational corporations keen to protect their own interests at almost any costs. Such systems can now be commonly installed and operated by smaller businesses with no upfront costs and a low monthly service charge.

At first glance the types of businesses that can benefit from the added security of biometric access control are self-evident: leisure centres; retail outlets; industrial unit tenants; serviced office blocks and so on. Almost all companies operating in sectors such as these can improve their security and access control arrangements by installing biometric fingerprint pads at both external entrance points and at restricted areas within buildings.

But biometric access control systems should not just be thought of in the context of upgraded preventative security measures. For many companies, the installation of an unbreachable access control system is a real business positive! As well as entitling many organizations to lower commercial insurance rates, the presence of a biometric system can actively bring in valuable extra customer business.

Owners of businesses that protect and store securely the property of others can use biometric access control as a value-added selling point. Bonded warehouse, self-storage operators and private safe deposit box companies are all examples of enterprises that can gain extra income from the installation of biometric access control.

More important than the protection of goods to many businesses is the protection of people. Nurseries, retirement homes and hospices are all businesses that can offer added peace of mind to existing and potential customers by installing biometric access control systems.

At the moment the potential for the use of biometric access control within small and medium sized enterprises has scarcely been touched by those who sell systems. This will change dramatically as business proprietors become aware of the advantages of biometric systems over conventional access and security measures employed currently.

And given that robust proven systems are already available at low cost outlay, it is actually very probable that the inevitable move towards biometrics is more likely to become a stampede among small and medium sized business proprietors over the next couple of years.

Peter Dickson is a marketing specialist currently employed by Easydentic, a pan-European biometric security company. They can be found online at http://www.easydentic.com

Access Control - Who Has Access To Registrant Data?

As a busy event planner – in seemingly endless contact with venues, catering companies, and the oh-so-demanding event sponsor – can you afford to spend time developing registration spreadsheets, keeping track of each registrant’s information, recording travel and hotel details, and taking and processing credit card info? For most event planners, the answer is a resounding no. The process of registration is often the straw that breaks the camel’s back, causing an event planner’s stress level to rise to supreme heights. Keeping track of all the technicalities of registration is a full time job that many planners are still attempting to juggle along with planning the event itself.

So, with the vast reach and simplicity of the internet, why are so many event planners hesitant to switch to an online registration company that will take care of all these technicalities for them? The answer is simple: they either don’t know about it, or they are worried that such companies could in fact complicate their lives. How can I know that information being put out on the internet will be safe? What if my registrants’ information is compromised? Will the online registration company use or sell my registrants’ information after they have it in their System?

With the right company, all of these questions can be avoided because registrants’ information will be secure and held safe for the sole use of the event planner. Even more importantly, with the right registration company, credit card information will be encrypted to the highest degree allowed by law, guaranteed by a SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption testing company, such as Thawte. Once you have chosen a company that you know to be secure, you will enjoy features such as an event website with its own URL for registration, custom reports, and the ability to export reports to a wide variety of formats. Using a safe and secure online registration system can simplify the event planning process while increasing registration! And you can be sure that registrants’ personal and financial information will be protected at the highest possible levels.

Registrant and event planner information that is protected to the highest degree possible offers you a guarantee that the information will be stored exclusively for the event planner’s use and will only be stored as long as is necessary. Holding to such standards, ensures that the event registration system is highly resistant to any breach, but if a breach does, in fact, occur, the system will have been monitored so effectively that it can be traced a remedied with accuracy and speed. A vulnerability recovery plan like this one is an essential part of upholding a strong security system to ensure that the system will not be breached. Your registrants will know that their information is safe.

Manually collecting registrations has long been one of the most tedious jobs involved in the event planning process, but it is no longer necessary for event coordinators if they choose a company that will offer the highest possible level of security so that they can enjoy the ease of use of such a comprehensive online registration system. With no need to worry whether or not their information will be hacker-safe, registrants will flock to your event because registering online is truly a far easier process than completing registration be old-fashioned snail-mail. Although giving up control over such a vital piece of the event planning process can be a frightening concept, doing your research to find a company that offers the strongest security for your registrants’ data, will save you time to deal with all of the other details of planning your next fantastic event.

Ryan is a member of the marketing team for RegOnline, a producer of easy-to-use conference registration software, and a company dedicated to making event planners' lives easier.

Two Factor Authentication - A Secure Method of Access Control

The corporate network infrastructure can withhold a huge amount of data relevant to the company. It is imperative that this data has restricted access, and can not be viewed by unauthorised personnel. There are many ways of implementing an ‘Access Control’ solution which generally utilise a username/ password scenario or possibly having an agent on the end user point that verifies its authenticity. However, for increased protection to highly sensitive networks it is strongly advisable to consider a more secure approach. ‘Two Factor Authentication’ provides a solution to this scenario which is trusted and utilised in the most security conscious of environments including banks and finance sectors.

So why is the old username/ password system considered inappropriate by many top establishments? Firstly the username is generally easy to guess. In normal circumstances it will be based on a very simple formula which revolves around the employees name, which is the same formula used for all employees. So the first step in the process is already relatively insecure. Secondly, the username is combined with a password that goes hand in hand with the username. Passwords are generally easier to guess than people acknowledge and can vary around birthdays, mothers’ maiden names, and are probably very similar to passwords they use for a variety of other accounts. This is generally because so many accounts require passwords; users try to make them as simple as possible so they won’t forget them themselves. To make matters worse, many companies have the policy that passwords expire on a regular basis and force their employees to constantly change them. How does this make matters worse? Well it actually makes the password harder to remember for the operator, who is generally the weakest link in your company’s security. If the operator finds it hard to remember then they are likely to leave a reminder somewhere so they don’t forget themselves. This can be a post it note on the monitor or scraps of paper around the desk either under the keyboard, in the top drawer or in the nearby vicinity.

So what does ‘Two Factor Authentication’ offer? Using this method the user will require an additional piece of information in conjunction with their username/ password to gain access to the network. There are various vendors out there providing different versions of this solution, though the common approach is for a ‘token’ to be issued. The token is a small device which will comfortably fit into your pocket and is quite often able to attach onto your key ring. At any one time the token will display a numerical value. This value will provide an authorisation code unique to the individual employee that when combined with the username/ password will grant access to the network. How is this secure? Well the numerical value on the token changes every 60 seconds. The network infrastructure will be aware of the number that is expected and will verify it against the number being produced. If they match, then the connection will be successful otherwise they are not allowed to connect. This provides huge advances for the security of the network as this token won’t be found next to the computer when the user is away and due to the sheer complexity of the algorithms used to generate the values, the code has never been cracked. Even if someone was given the formula, they couldn’t process the figures quick enough to calculate the next number in anywhere near under a minute. In fact competitions are held regularly where some of the top mathematical minds are allowed months to attempt it, and it is still safe. Also, each number can only be used once, so if a number is compromised after the users fingers are seen typing the digits in, and a hacker tries to repeat that code within the 60 second window, it will already be void.

It also provides a solution for commuting staff that are looking to obtain remote access. They can use this process across a remote access solution, and are able to verify themselves in a very safe and secure manner. No agents will be required to be uploaded to the end user point so staff are not necessarily restricted to what computer they can access the infrastructure on.

This is a brief introduction to ‘Two Factor Authentication’ and provides a very strong and trusted solution for Network Managers.

‘Secure in the Knowledge’

Dean Grimshawe is Head of Marketing at Toranet Ltd - The Network Security Specialists. Toranet work closely with businesses to provide an intricate balance between access and security. By optimising this relationship companies are able to secure their infrastructure while still experiencing efficiency. This scenario produces the greatest return on investment for the client. For further information visit http://www.toranet.net

Access Control Security Systems

An access control system provides a high level of security in your homes and offices. An access control system keeps restricted areas protected from intruders and permits access only to authorized personnel. An access control system even records the entrance time of employees. It protects and secures the people, documents and equipment of a certain facility. An access control system is very functional in buildings with multiple entry points. Entries and exits through these doors are controlled by the access control system using different types of security devices. The most common is the control panel which features numbered buttons or a touch sensitive screen that is connected to the lock and release system of the door. A specific pin code is entered by the employee and validated by the access control system.

The second device employed by the access control system is the Magstripe Reader which is also called the Swipe Card reader. The employee is issued an encoded card which he or she will swipe to disable the door’s locking system. Oftentimes, the encoded card also serves as his employee ID. Access control systems also use Proximity Readers and Long Range Readers. These sensors can detect an encoded card without the need for swiping. The former detects the card at a short distance of about 100 millimeters while the latter can sense a card from a distance of about 1 meter. As quick and non-contact methods of entry, these were designed to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

The Smartcard Reader enables the access control system to process additional information for other company services. Time-ins and outs, for example, are recorded. The access control system can also be interfaced with the company’s payroll system, parking system, catering and vending services.

Finally, access control systems that features the Biometric Fingerprint Reader use specific characteristics like finger prints and eye scans to identify personnel that can access a specific room. This system is highly accurate and avoids problems such as stolen or lost cards. Identifying visitors or non-employees with the access control system is possible through three methods - a door bell system that alerts the staff, an audio intercom system which allows the visitor to converse with the staff and an audio intercom system equipped with camera that allows the staff to view and identify the visitor. If access permitted, the entrance door is remotely unlocked and an escort is provided to welcome and guide the visitor. Cards or tags are also issued for proper identification.

In designing and installing a highly effective access control system, evaluate carefully the number of entry and exit points of the building, their locations, the level of security you need, traffic flow of people in the building, its operations and processes and future development plans. An additional feature you can consider is the integration of your access control system with the fire alarm of the building. Finally, purchase necessary equipment only from organizations approved by NSI (NACOSS).

Access Control - What Is Access Control?

Access control, is a term taken from the linguistic world of security. It means,
in general - the execution of constrictions and limitations on whoever tries to
invade a certain protected property. These restrictions, or it you'd like - the
access control elements, manifest physically in locks, keys, electronic and digital
means. Ofcouse, a person guarding an entrance, is also practicing access control.

What are the common most types of access control?

I would take a very obvious guess and suggest that the reader of this article
has several types of access control around him or her - let us take a quick survey
around them. Starting off with the computer in front you. Large percentage of computer
users have an antivirus running on their computer, a firewall, a pop-up blocker
and other programs all with access control functions. All of these guard us from
intruders of sorts. They inspect everything that sits on the computer or trying
to enter it and smartly enough let it in or leave it out. Since computers have sophisticated
access control capabilities - they can ask for authentication, look for digital
signatures, encryption methods and so much.

Now, if you would leave your comfortable computer chair for a moment and go out
the room - you would probably pass through a door. This door much like the windows
close to it - is the most popular access control method in any basic home security.
Taking it from the basic to the more complicated - take a look at the door's handle.
You have to twist or pull the handle in order to open the door, don't you? This
is access control at it's very core. Without this handle and it's inner mechanism,
it would be swinging, and won't stop anyone - not even a domestic kitten. Below
the handle, we may find a lock of sorts (most probably a cylinder lock) and a keyhole.
This lock will, hopefully stop anyone trying to get through the door - but hasn't
got the key. In the 21st Century we see more and more keypads, or if you'd like
keyless entry
systems. These will replace one day our ordinary set of keys.

In today's world, these locks and keys are beginning to look differently. As
technology progresses, the locks of today got smarter - they can recognize patterns
of your physical features, your voice,
fingerprint
locks read your fingerprints. Access control has a fascinating ever progressing
evolution, it's a rapidly growing market - and in the near future may manifest it
self in ways we cannot even imagine.