Why Upgrade Your Access Control System

When it comes to access control, many organizations tend to subscribe to the tenet of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, in a world of fast evolving technology and escalating threats to security, this frame of mind is very risky. One cannot remain passive and wait for things to happen before taking action.

In a matter as crucial as your organization’s security, being proactive is key. We can take advice from Mahatma Gandhi who said - “The future depends on what you do today”. It is important to think not just of the present security needs of the your company but how your access control system can evolve to keep up with times.

Fortunately, advances in technology have made it easier to transition from older, legacy technology to new access control systems that have increased functionality and offer higher levels of security, while being very easy to use.

Now is the perfect time to take advantage of these advances to not only improve present security but to address future changes in security needs. Upgrading your access control system makes your organization more ready to adjust to the ever evolving security threats.

User Convenience and Enhanced Security

In The Access Control Report 2016: Legacy Infrastructure and Motivations for Upgrading, it was noted that 48% of respondents would like an easy-to-use access control system, with 32% requesting multiple levels of access depending on authority required. Systems that utilize mobile technology answer these needs.

Mobile devices are now an indispensable part of people’s lives. Phones, tablets, smart watches and other wearables offer convenience for end users and are now increasingly being used as access control credentials over the traditional smart cards or PIN enabled entry devices.

They offer more convenient ways to open doors and gates. More importantly, smartphones allow for multiple access levels and saves users from having multiple access control devices which may lead to confusion or misplacement. Mobile phones have become an extension of our arms and people are less likely to leave them just anywhere, thus offering more security as an access credential.

Further, cloud-based access control systems provide convenience and ease-of use. Management can access the system from anywhere, as long as they have an internet connection, to monitor things, provide new credentials, change credentials, and revoke credentials, all at a moment’s notice.

The most important reason is to protect against financial loss. Data is an important corporate asset and loss of information may lead to financial losses in the form of lost sales, fines or lawsuits. Cracks in an organization’s data privacy protection may lead to drop in investor confidence or customers fleeing to better protected competitors. And certainly, stolen or altered data has serious financial repercussions that can affect the company even years later after an incident has occured.

Another important reason to protect data privacy is in compliance with regulations. Not only in the US but also throughout the world, governments have begun implementing strict regulations on electronic information and data. Non compliance means heavy sanctions.

Loss of critical communication can be construed as a violation of these regulations and may subject the corporation to fines and the managers to legal action.

Finally, loss of important data lowers productivity. Data loss lead to failures in applications and similar system problems that make it difficult for employees to do their job effectively. Poor data privacy protection leads to significant employee downtime as they wait for systems to become operational after a breach.

Unfortunately, a security breach may be the only reason why organizations upgrade their access control system. Even before this happens, it is important for companies to take the right steps to make their organizations secure by choosing an access control system that not only address their present needs but have the capability to adapt to changing security needs.