Access Control Systems Are More Than Just Convenient Ways to Access Information and Places. Here's Why.

The potential for malicious individuals to obtain access to your business's private information is always a looming threat. While incidences of networks getting breached are all too common on the news, the reality is that most industrial crimes are still committed physically inside or near a business. This makes your business potentially vulnerable and unable to act against crimes that occur from within its premises. This is something that is risky and a situation that no business wants to be in.

Fortunately, one solution reigns supreme in monitoring any potential lurking threat: an access control system. While they are often thought of as just simply being a convenient way to access a part of a building, the reality is that they are far greater than this. Read on to learn more about access control systems and several relevant benefits that they can provide to your business. 

What Are Access Control Systems

Briefly put, an access control system is a security method to limit certain individuals' access to specific areas and systems. This means that you can track who has access to certain areas, what times access was granted, and more.

The primary methods for authentication in an access control system come in the forms of biometric authentication and swipe cards. Both ways can be personalized and grant specific individuals and groups access to confidential information. 

Some of Best Reasons to Invest in an Access Control System

Access control systems are more than just a high-tech way to access information. The following are a handful of reasons why every business should invest in, or at least consider investing in, access control systems for their employees. 

You Have the Ability to Monitor Who Is Accessing a System or Area and at What Time

Without an access control system in place, it may not be easy to know when, if, or what time someone is accessing your business's specific system or area. The ability to monitor who is accessing areas and systems at any given time is an effective way to track and, ultimately, reduce the potential of a theft or accident occurring inside your business.   

Additionally, if a worst-case scenario were to occur, having documented records on when the area or system was accessed will allow you to better narrow down what happened and at what time. This makes access control systems a highly effective tracker of information and provides insurance against any malicious attacks. 

You Can Choose and Modify Who Has Access to an Area or System at Any Given Time

Access control systems are versatile. Not only are swipe cards something which can be readily implemented to allow access into specific areas of your building, but they can also be modified to allow to have different levels of clearance for specific areas. This can ensure that certain areas will only be accessible by employees with a particular card. 

Outside of a physical card, however, is biometric authentication. Most often using a fingerprint, biometric authentication is configurable only to allow specific individuals access to certain areas using their fingerprint (or another body part, such as an eye for a retinal scan). Naturally, biometric scans are incredibly secure, as fingerprints are one-of-a-kind, meaning you can ensure that anyone who isn't permitted access to an area will not be able to get in. 

When Paired With a CCTV, It Is a Multi-layered Security System

CCTV, or closed-circuit television, is a prevalent method of using your business's internal network to monitor your business's building using internet-enabled cameras. By simply going to a specific site on a PC directly connected to your business's network (or using a VPN to connect to it), your premises can be monitored in real-time. This is an excellent way to watch for accidents and thefts, review footage from a specific period, and more. 

Beyond its immediate intended functionality, however, is how well it pairs with an access control system. With the ability to physically monitor your surroundings, paired with the ability to limit and monitor specific times where access was granted, you can immediately pinpoint who, what, and when an area or system is accessed inside your premises. This works wonders at not only keeping away would-be criminals but also for knowing when they may have attempted access. 

If An Employee Quits Your Company, You Can Delete Their Access

One common concern that many people have with investing in an access control system is regarding potential employees who have access that get fired or leave. It is often thought that they will forever be able to access these areas with their finger (or a card, if they do not forfeit it). 

Fortunately, this is not at all an issue. If an employee is terminated, their access can be removed along with them. This means that you will not need to worry about a hostile ex-employee tampering with a specific area of your building and ensuring that your business will be safe from any malicious attacks. 

Conclusion

Your business is a critical part of you and your employees' lives. Beyond just being a place for everyone to make a living, it is a place where everyone can be productive and feel safe. 

The benefits of having House of I.T implement an access control system into your business, as has been demonstrated, are tremendous and provide both insurance and a sense of security for all involved in your industry. 

At House of I.T, we take great pride in protecting businesses like yours. We enjoy seeing the results of our labor and love to see companies grow and scale over time. 

If you are ready and interested in incorporating an access control system into your business, we would love to speak with you about how we can help!