Technology & Trends - Access control readers

Predicting where or how security access trends would develop in 2016 was an educated guess at best. We did, however, forecast continued growth in the areas of wireless readers; smartphone usage as a credential; and more migration to web-based software/hardware solutions.In hindsight, we were not so far off the mark. Wireless security systems proved to be a growing option for extending an access control system and a practical solution for retrofits. Smart phone credentials gained popularity by fr...

The shift from wired to wireless access control was expected to gather pace in 2016—and that has happened. This year we at Assa Abloy surveyed a large cross-section of security professionals, seeking their insight into the changing market. Comparing our data with research we did in 2014 showed a clear trend towards wireless access control.   Wireless access data Our 2014 survey found 23% of commercial properties using a wireless or hybrid wired/wireless access control s...

The winds of change have swept into the access control market in 2016. The hardware is transitioning away from being solely panel-based, software is rapidly moving to the cloud, and credentials are going mobile. It seems that the security access control world is finally waking up from its technological slumber, and 2017 will be an exciting time. These three major trends are feeding off one another and are driving the growth all around. IP and edge based systemsIn 2016, hardware companies like...

The access control industry is now picking up the challenge of embracing new technologies The access control business has, over the last 10 years, completely changed its image from being a rather unattractive slow growth and conservative business to taking up a position as a fast-growing confident business. The access control industry has listened and acted on the needs of the stakeholders in the supply chain and as a result the world market for access control products and so...

The single largest group of consumer IoT devices being deployed is for home automation and residential security Business and technology analysts are in unanimous agreement that the number of IoT devices will explode into the many 10’s of billions within the next five years. These billions of new computing devices will produce enormous volumes of data about ourselves, our society, and our physical environment. The security industry is at ground zero of this upheaval. In f...

This executive brief explores the security risks associated with using CSN instead of reading the data protected by security mechanisms. When contactless smart cards are implemented and deployed properly, they represent one of the most secure identification technologies available. However, some manufacturers, in an attempt to sell a ‘universal’ reader capable of reading almost any contactless smart card technology, actually disable the built-in security...

The security and safety industry has seen tremendous advances in cloud-based access control recently as cloud computing has opened up a world of possibilities for security and access control. Whether controlling access for a single door or for an entire enterprise spread out over multiple locations, cloud-based hosted or managed solutions allow security dealers and monitoring companies to provide end users with cost-effective, fully-functional turnkey solutions. The benefits are m...

Iris recognition measures the unique patterns in the coloured portion of the eye (the iris) and compares that ‘signature’ to the one on file Since the late 1990s, iris recognition technology has been used in banks and airports as a means of identity authentication. Today, its use is widespread in government facilities, schools/research centres, correctional/judicial facilities, healthcare and others. There are a number of reasons for its rising popularity, but firs...

Multi-modal biometrics refers to a technology that combines a number of biometrics working together as a multifactor solution Global terrorism is on the rise. For many years, the West felt immune to these incidents, often asserting that these were problems felt only in countries with heated conflicts, such as Syria, Iraq, Israel and Nigeria. However, recent terror attacks have taken place in both Europe and the United States: Belgium, France (Paris and Nice), Orlando, various...

The technologies behind physical access control are constantly evolving. It’s a fast-changing market that can leave end user organisations struggling to keep up. Smart cards still reign supreme, with good reason, but there are also new options today and on the horizon. Customers want to implement the most secure and up-to-date technologies, but constantly adapting their systems to keep up with the pace of change is impractical. Leveraging access control technologies in a way that both m...

 Part 11 of our Security in Healthcare series The Joint Commission’s mission is to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders Compliance with Joint Commission accreditation can impact hospital and healthcare safety and security decisions, and can even drive security system improvements at healthcare facilities. An independent, not-for-profit organisation, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21...

The Hugs Infant Protection Solution tracks the location of babies and provides protection anywhere the infant may be transported Wireless tracking and radio frequency identification (RFID) continue to improve dramatically in range and reliability, allowing Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) pinpointing people, places and things with impressive accuracy. Systems integrator Advance Technology Inc. (ATI), Scarborough, Maine, recently installed a comprehensive, hospital-wide soluti...

  Summary Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Time: 10:00am PT / 1:00pm ET / 5:00pm UTC Duration: 45 minutes + Q&A What's the webinar about? Mobile credentials are one of the most exciting areas of the access control market. The transformation caused by the development of various mobile solutions in payment, banking, ticketing and automation is poised to deliver similar changes in the access control industry. Mobile credentials are now entering the market...

What's the White Paper about? The mobile industry is known as one of the most innovative and fast-paced and what we have seen in recent years has been nothing short of remarkable. This rapid growth is affecting the underlying technologies and standards in mobile devices as more people use their devices in their daily life and new applications are developed. This white paper from HID Global explores the essential elements in successfully implementing mobile access, fr...

Part 8 of our healthcare series Hospitals are challenging environments. A hospital requires oversight 24 hours a day, seven days a week Access control in particular has advanced significantly to offer healthcare facilities the ability to control access remotely, through mobile applications, confirm identity quickly and easily and program varying levels of access for visitors, patients, doctors and staff. Hospitals are challenging environments. A hospital requires ov...

Part 6 of our Security in Healthcare series Lockdown capabilities are an important aspect of safety and security for hospitals, doctor’s offices and medical facilities Hospitals and healthcare institutions increasingly face a reality of workplace violence, attacks on patients, and threats to doctors and other support staff. When these types of conflicts arise, there is an urgent need to lock the facility down quickly. Security professionals and their teams need...

Time and attendance has proven to be a successful use of biometric technology traditionally used for controlling access to highly sensitive areas Security technology is increasingly being used to help organisations tackle challenges going far beyond controlling access to office buildings and monitoring parking lot activity. Video, in particular, has become the darling of many markets. Retailers use live and recorded video to assess promotional sales efforts. Manufacturers con...

Part 4 of our Security in Healthcare series    Secure visitor management integrated with physical access control systems (PACS) is increasingly popular Controlling visitors to hospitals and healthcare facilities can directly impact security. Traditional methods of visitor management, such as paper visitor logs and handwritten badges are insufficient given today’s variety of security challenges. A hospital using paper-based systems cannot easily cross-c...

Everything about wireless access control makes life easier for those who install and operate it A lot of market data crosses my desk at ASSA ABLOY. Sometimes it can be hard to spot patterns or pick out the trends. But not always. Some recent access control market research we commissioned pointed in one direction. Our conclusion? Slowly but surely, access control is becoming a wireless technology As the global leader in door opening solutions, we are able to survey a large,...

The rate of adoption of mobile credentials will progress quickly, because of its exciting value proposition Cloud computing has been around for some time now, starting with the formal public Internet in 1990. But the nature of it has changed and evolved quickly and dramatically. Now, the cloud is becoming foundational to many emerging security applications, including mobile credentialing involving Near Field and Bluetooth communications, with the Internet of Things (loT) poise...

 Part 1 of our Security in Healthcare series Hospitals have a continuous need for security, to update their systems,and to make repairs The healthcare vertical provides plenty of opportunities for security integrator companies. A single large hospital system can supply a dependable ongoing source of revenue to integrator companies, says David Alessandrini, Vice President, Pasek Corp., an integrator. Hospitals have a continuous need for security, to update their...

H.265 compression, apps and the inherent security of security systems were some of the themes to be gleaned on the first day of IFSEC International. Almost every video exhibitor I saw on day one of the show mentioned that many of their products use H.265 compression in these days of high definition, bandwidth-hungry cameras. Over at Vivotek’s stand, for example, Emilio Sanchez, project consultant, spoke of the company’s H.265 Smart Stream compression algorithm. He said this saves an...

A “smart home” featuring networked security devices and other home automation products will be new to IFSEC International 2016 in June. This replica smart home will be at the heart of the new home automation zone at IFSEC International (London, 21-23 June). The smart home will feature CCTV, intruder alarms, biometric readers, door entry solutions and locks, as well as wireless blinds, lighting and heating control, and 4K video and audio distribution. “These features, along wi...

The right security system can add great value when used as anintegral part of business processes When buying a security system, primary consideration is often given to short-term issues such as technical capability and how current risks are covered. However, this approach doesn’t account for a security system being a longer-term investment, often spanning around ten years. During this time a lot can change, both in terms of technical development and an organisation&rsquo...

Many operators don’t know what’s actually transpiring on their OT networkand,even if hacked, have no knowledge of the assault Innovation in the oil and gas, utility, healthcare and transportation industries is heavily reliant on connectivity - between devices and systems, machines and data, people and processes. This connectivity is great for productivity upstream, mid-stream and downstream, but is also exposes these systems to greater cyber threat. Furthermore, as...

Awareness against fake fingerprints prevent fingerprint from becomingthe choice of biometrics despite their benefits Apple’s refusal to the US government’s request to unlock Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone has triggered public interests in personal and information security. Ever since the introduction of Touch ID by Apple, fingerprint technology has been implemented into more and more mobile devices by different manufacturers. It is being adopted as the authentic...

PIAM solutions ensure that credentials are onboarded to all the right systems The number of credentials people are carrying is on the rise. At any given time, an individual may be carrying badges, cards or other ID devices for their office, the gym, public transit and more, not to mention credit cards and government-issued identification. The more credentials people carry, the greater the challenge of managing and tracking these credentials poses, and the more likely that they...

ASSA ABLOY door handles with built in reader, strike, request-to-exit sensorand door contacts help maintain sterile environment of stainless steel rooms Access control technology has been around for a long time, but security professionals still run into weird problems when designing and installing systems. For example, when a hospital discovered that it was losing $4,000 per patient bed annually in medicines and other supplies, it asked ASSA ABLOY for an access control solutio...

Accurately confirming a person’s identity is one key to improving security forour workplaces, communities, and our nation Perhaps I’m sensitised to the term, but it seems to me that I’m hearing the word “identity” a lot lately.   Identity comes up in current news stories about Syrian refugees, for example. Candidates for the U.S. presidency debate how long it should take to confirm the identity of immigrants before allowing them to ent...

Energy efficiency extends beyond a company’s running costs vs. its carbonfootprint, to using security technological intelligently to the company’senvironmental advantage Even as manufacturers are becoming greener and innovation is reducing our industry’s carbon footprint , is there more we could be doing? Can we adapt our general operational methods to be smarter and help save the planet? Are we learning from other industries, do we absorb things quickly...