Companies will use security data to improve decision making in 2018

Companies have vast amounts of data at their fingertips to help them make better business decisions about how to secure their buildings and improve business processes. What we will see next year is more companies determining HOW to use their data to help make better business decisions. Physical identity and access management systems with intuitive dashboards will help users determine how to use their data to save money. For example, reducing manual processes can free up hours of time. CSOs can find more productive projects for their staff now, rather than have them chase manual compliance audits.

Ensuring compliance with access control

We have also noticed that companies are looking at how to use their access control systems to better enforce and fulfill burdensome compliance requirements. We are having conversations with end users in regulated industries whose biggest concern is how to manage HIPAA, NERC CIP or SOX audits in a timely fashion to meet compliance so they do not encounter huge fines. Using unified platforms to manage access control and identities is the solution.

While many companies continue to manage their audits manually, more are investigating how to operationalise their access control systems to improve internal processes and help build efficiencies using identity and access management platforms. By automating back end processes, such as onboarding and offboarding employees and recertifying access to specific locations, productivity becomes more effective, costs are reduced and information required to meet compliance is automatically provided. 

Mobile access control technology

Mobile technology will continue to gain in popularity and acceptance. As universities and other industries replace or add to their access control systems, they will migrate to Bluetooth readers. Biometric apps will provide authentication to confirm the correct person is using the credentials on the phone. 

AMAG had a very successful 2017. We launched Symmetry CONNECT, our new identity and access management platform and are seeing how it has positively impacted our customers with meeting compliance requirements and reducing costs. We are looking forward to helping entire estates function smoother using incident management, identity management and visitor management data. AMAG will continue to evolve its technology to build efficiencies for our customers.