Intelligent CISO Issue 27 | Page 16

latest intelligence PRESENTED BY DOWNLOAD WHITEPAPERS AT: WWW.INTELLIGENTCISO.COM/ WHITEPAPERS ADVANCED PHYSICAL ACCESS CONTROL SECURITY MEASURES sSummary One of the first systems installed when securing an organization is the access control system, which controls access into and out of one or more facilities. Beyond installing readers, deploying door controllers, configuring software, and issuing credentials, organizations have a number of potential tools at their disposal to protect their people and assets. Written as a best practices guide for physical access control, this white paper first offers a summary of basic ACS tools and then delves deeper into advanced physical security measures and how they can be used to significantly increase safety and security. Physical security – introduction to access control systems Physical Access Control is about protecting people and assets. The primary focus is to keep an area secure by restricting access to unauthorized personnel. An electronic Access Control System (ACS) controls entry and exit to rooms or facilities using a wide range of credentials. Credentials can refer to tangible or intangible objects that prove the identity of an individual like a password (something they know), an access control badge (something they have) or a biometric feature (something they are). Based on the credentials presented, an ACS determines who is allowed, and where and when they are allowed to go. Basically, once credentials are verified and the ACS grants access to the authorized cardholder, an access control point – which can be a door, turnstile, or other physical barrier where access is electronically controlled – is unlocked and the transaction is recorded by the system. u 16 Issue 27 | www.intelligentciso.com