How to secure your business with access cards!

You can never be too careful when protecting your business and your property. To ensure your business is secure, you should track who comes in and out of your building and when. You also need to limit access to your building and control who gets in which area.

The best way to monitor and control access is to install an access control system in your building. 

If you’re not familiar with access control technology, don’t worry. This ultimate guide will explain everything you need to know about how to program your access cards and use them effectively in your business. We’ll also provide some helpful tips on preventing the cloning of cards and keeping you and your employees safe and secure.

What is an access control system? 

An access control system is an electronic system designed to gain access in or out of a specific area you want to control. 

Over the years, access control has advanced from simple keys to cards and, now, mobile devices. 

Locked doors are accessed by authorised people who have access cards and are authorised to specific areas. Unauthorised people cannot access the premises and will be flagged by security.

This is important to keep businesses and premises safe from criminal activity. 

What does it mean to program an access control system?

In simple terms, programming an access control card means adding important information to the chip inside a card. 

This information is the credential data used to communicate with access control card readers, to grant users access to the building.

Programming is another word for encoding. 

Cards must be programmed as a unique number to the reader, making it safer and more secure when you tap your card on the reader. Your card will have code and encryption linked to the reader, allowing you access to the building.

Why does your business need an access control system? 

Using an access control system can avoid unnecessary issues of using keys and gain much more insight and control over your business. 

Access cards manage who has access to your business. For example, only employees may have automatic access to the business, but you’d like visitors and contractors to report to the reception desk on arrival and get a visitor card. 

Access cards manage which doors your employees have access to. You may want only some people to enter certain areas. For example, if you only want technicians to be allowed in your server room, no one else may have access to that area.

Access cards manage what times your employees can gain access to your business. You may want to limit access of contractors and junior staff to their shifts, whereas senior staff can enter the building anytime.

Importantly, you can limit access to specific criteria they have met. For example, you may set your system, so contractors are only allowed access if it shows they’ve presented their certification.

It will also show you who’s accessed where, and when so that if there’s an incident, it’s easier to determine who might have been involved—giving you a lot more information about your business's ongoings so you can better manage it. 

What is access control cloning?

Cloning, also known as skimming, is the illegal act of making unauthorised copies of access cards. The card information is copied or cloned using a cloning machine and then copied onto a new card used for illegal activity. Criminals pretend to be an employee and gain access to your business.

How to prevent access control card cloning?

Unfortunately, it does not matter what industry you are in. there is always the threat of cloning cards and misusing them for criminal activity. Lately, cloning has become more common than ever because cloning technology is so easily accessible. 

Cheap cloning technology is available online. The dangers of cloned cards are pretty serious. If an unauthorised individual or criminal gets hold of a cloned access card, they will be able to enter the premises. This could create a security breach, harm to staff, the company or data or reputational damage. 

If any of the above were to occur, they could be extremely costly for your company. That’s why improving security measures is important before it is too late. 

How can I prevent my cards from being cloned?

Two-factor authentication 

Two-factor authentication strengthens security by requiring two methods to verify your identity. Usually, you would have an access card and a pin to gain access, or you could have more advanced technology, including facial recognition or biometrics with access control technology. 

Having a double-entry authentication makes it harder for criminals to access your premises. Depending on which technology you choose will depend on how costly it is. Adding a keypad isn’t as expensive as biometrics or facial recognition. But you need to decide which technology will be more secure for your business.

Changing to more advanced access control cards

Mifare DESfire and the SEOS access cards offer a more secure and greater encryption technology. Preventing cloning and skimming of your cards.

DESfire cards may be easier to move to if you have proximity cards. You only need to change the readers for staff that need access to the high-security rooms. The others can stay on the old technology, and you can take time to move over to the advanced technology. 

The SEOS access cards are more advanced technology cards. SEOS has much higher security than any card on the market. Changing over to this card will make it much easier for your company in the future if they decide to move to mobile. 

Only some people need to change over to these new readers and cards, but it is advised for those who require special access to important rooms. 

This would be a more costly upgrade, but you would be keeping up with the latest and most secure technology on the market. 

SkimSafe cardholders 

If you are looking for a quick and affordable solution without upgrading your readers or adding new technology to your company, then SkimSafe cardholders are the best solution for you.

When someone tries to skim your card details using skimming devices, a built-in jamming device is automatically activated, creating a protective forcefield around your cards, making it impossible for a thief to obtain your card details and clone your card. 

These are great devices for RFID protection, preventing skimming, and offering theft protection.

We provide SkimSafe holders in a cardholder or a sleeve for your cards. Depending on what you prefer we have for your company.

Moving to a QR code system 

Lastly, you can slowly change some readers and cards to the dynamic QR access control system. This will be necessary for employees who need access to important rooms that need to be secure. 

Employees who do not need access to important rooms can stay on the current cards until you are ready to move them over to the dynamic QR code phase.

Eventually, you will move all your employees to a more secure and cheaper solution. This is a great system because you do not have to change everyone over immediately, but this process will take time. 

There are some issues with the QR codes because thieves can take a picture of the QR code and gain access however, if your QR code is unique and cannot be altered online with a picture, it is impossible to clone. 

If you’d like to implement this in your office space. Please contact us; we’d be happy to work this out. 

To sum up

Access cards are a great way to secure your business. Access cards allow you to track who comes in and out of your building and when. They allow you to manage and limit access to areas that may be important to your business. 

Cloning is a big issue nowadays, and there are a few ways to prevent this. Depening on what your company needs will depend on which method you choose.

If you would like to know more and need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.