Securing your business premises is naturally a priority. In an effort to make the building safer, you might invest in using control panels that are designed to only let in the right people to authorized spaces, whether you use it for limited spaces like inventor and server rooms, or at the very front door. However, the most basic access controls might not offer you as much security as you think, so here are some ways you can upgrade them.
Ensure Strong Perimeter Security
Placing your access control points around entries, exits, and other doors can ensure that you’re able to authorize and collect data on anyone who moves through them. However, if people are able to access privileged spaces without having to go through those controls, then it makes them much less effective at their job. Take a comprehensive look at the spaces you are trying to protect, and consider whether you need to install security fencing, vehicle barriers, or improve the security of doors and windows to prevent unauthorized access. Effective lighting around these spots can also help to deter potential intruders by making them much more likely to be witnessed. Weak perimeter security can undermine even the most advanced door access systems by allowing intruders to approach unnoticed.
Verify And Support With Surveillance
Good access control systems will keep logs of anyone who passes through them. However, one of the most common techniques for criminals is to forge, steal, or copy access controls so that they can fool security teams and systems into believing that they’re supposed to be there. Implementing access control surveillance technology, such as strategically placed cameras at entry points, can help you confirm that the person using a given credential is the right person. It can also help you spot any suspicious behavior, such as people who might be closely investigating access control systems to potentially find vulnerabilities to exploit. The recorded footage can also support any investigations that might be needed in the event of a security incident.
Strengthen Authentication With Biometric Credentials
While surveillance systems might be useful around access controls, in general, another way to prevent (or at least greatly reduce) the theft of stolen credentials is to tie them to the very individual themselves. Biometric controls, such as fingerprint scans, facial recognition, or iris scans, can protect your systems from duplication or misuse, and can also prevent your employees from losing their access easily. These systems use the unique physical traits of each authorized individual, and can still be strengthened as part of a system that uses PINs or mobile credentials for an additional layer of security. It also makes sure that your access logs are clear and reliable. It would be very hard for someone to misuse them.
Access control points can be a very useful business security tool, but you have to ensure they have the right tools alongside them to make them as effective as possible. Consider the upgrades mentioned above and how they might bolster your own security beyond a simple PIN-coded control point.