Access Control Systems

 

Why Access Control?
Locks and keys leave much to be desired in any business or commercial environment because:

• Standard keys are easily copied
• Each person may require several keys
• Lost and stolen keys represent a major security risk, requiring time and money to solve

An electronic access control system can provide additional security by enforcing time rules, by sounding an alarm in the event of an unauthorized attempt to gain entry, and by recording all access movements, in and out, for analysis in the event of a later discovery of a problem.

 

Specifying an Access Control System
If your basic requirements are known, then the choice of a system can be quickly accomplished.

The best systems are the ones that reduce the immediate risk while allowing for expansion as needs grow—not just the need for more doors and more people but also the need for more security.

How much control do you need?
Once you have established which doors need to be controlled, you have to establish how much control to apply. You can decide which rules can be applied to each person you allow to have access to your facility.

• Access levels - Each person can only go through certain doors.
• Time zones - Each person can only go through certain doors at specified times.
• Card + PIN - after using a card, a person must type in a PIN before the door will open.
• Anti-pass back - After a card has been used to gain access to an area, it cannot be used again for a given time, or until the card has been used to leave the area.
• Man traps - A door will not open unless another is closed.
• Alarms - Any "unexpected" event or "abnormal behavior" can be notified to a supervisor, who can then establish what happened and decide how to respond.
• Point-monitoring - "Spare" inputs on the access control system can be used to monitor windows, fire exits and the like if there is a risk that they could be used by people to by-pass the access control system.

All electronic access control systems work on the basis of identifying a person before deciding whether to unlock the door. There are three categories for the means of identification:

1. PIN-only entry systems
   • These are the least secure—those with a common code where everyone uses the same number. The are the cheapest and least secure.
   • Slightly better are unique PIN systems, where each person has a different number. These allow you to delete a single code if it is no longer needed, but there is still a risk of deliberate or accidental passing on of a code, and little way of knowing that it has happened.
2. Token-based systems
   • This is the most popular type of system.
   • Token-based systems, using cards, tags, etc. provide much better security. Each token is usually unique.
   • The card has to be inserted or swiped to gain entry.
3. Biometric systems
   • Fingerprint recognition is the most popular in terms of cost, accuracy, and acceptability.
   • Facial recognition is still in the development stage, but is can expect to see growth as the technology evolves.

Components of a token-based access control system
Card - what the person carries in order to identify them self to the access control system. It may be credit-card sized or smaller. It can either be "swiped" through a slot in a card reader or brought to within a few centimeters ("proximity"). The choice of what type depends on the equipment and the cost of readers and cards.

Reader - What identifies the person to the controller by reading the card and sending its unique identity.

Lock - the type of lock depends on the door - electric strikes or bolts, magnetic locks, turnstiles or barriers.

Door Sensor - An optional piece of equipment that can provide an extra level of security. It can also be used to monitor all door openings and closings.

Egress - An optional piece of equipment that allows people thorough a door - from a secure area to a less secure area - without the use of a card to PIN. Pushing a button causes the lock to be released.

Door Ajar Sounder - This can be used to alert anyone in the vicinity that the door is propped open.

Controller - These may be a built-in reader or a separate controller that controls one or several doors.

Software - The software provides a means of programming cards and setting the rules foe the system—normally this information is sent to the controllers so that it is the controller(s) that make the decisions. Software will also monitor the system, record events, and save the information so that reports can be printed as necessary. The software must be compatible with the access control system, so you can only use the software from the manufacturer of the system.

Alarm management
An access control system can generate a huge amount of event data that may be useful in analyzing what happened after an incident has occurred. This is where alarm management comes in — it notifies someone only as a specified event occurs, so the system doesn't need to monitored in "real time".

Employees vs. Visitors
Employees
Restricting employee access only to those areas in which they are allowed and only during those times decided by the system administrator decides minimizes risk. If someone has been told exactly where they can and can’t go, and they try to “bend the rules” by trying their card in a prohibited area – or if someone has stolen their card and is trying gain unauthorized entry because they don’t know where that card is allowed – the system will protect those areas by not allowing entry.

Anti pass-back also prevents a dishonest employee from gaining access through a turnstile and then passing their card through the bars to someone else.

And if you don’t discover until much later that a security breach has occurred – the event log will show you all events from the system – doors opening, closing, being left open too long, fire doors propped open. It may well be that the monitoring is as useful as control in providing deterrence.

Visitors
Un-attended visitors should be treated in the same way as employees, with one extra consideration – if a visitor does not return his or her card then it should be voided. Some systems can do this automatically.

You have the ability to restrict areas visitors should not be able to enter/ This is a good way to keep visitors out of security areas or areas where their safety might be a concern.

Other Benefits from Access Control Systems
Security can be further enhanced if the access control card also bears a picture of the rightful holder. If staff members are instructed to challenge anyone not wearing a card, or if the picture doesn't match the face, then every employee suddenly becomes an additional security guard.

Because the system can record all comings and goings, the data can be used for other purposes. For example, calculation of the time spent on the premises can be used for attendance totals, and this in turn can satisfy the requirements of the working time directive or be used for payroll. Further, in the event of a fire alarm or other catastrophe, the system can list all those people on the premises and also those who have presented themselves at gathering points. This does require significant enforcement of rules requiring every person to swipe in as well as out even if someone holds the door open for them.

 

Contact us for more information about what we can do for your building
safety and security though the use of an Access Control System.