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Keycards are used in healthcare and research facilities, government agencies, academic institutions, and other strictly regulated organizations to maintain and manage particular employee access levels. These might be relevant considerations in a business context, such as a legal or accounting firm, a technology company, or any other organization that deals with sensitive files or secret information. In addition, the parts of these kinds of establishments that need the highest levels of security clearance and authorization could use biometric readers, retinal scanners, and face recognition technology.
Clients, temporary or contractual workers, and other non-employees may all have different access levels assigned to them. This could include people who work in delivery and service, or it might refer to a team working on a temporary project.
Radio Frequency Identifiers (RFID)
RFID keycards or keyfobs “communicate” through user identification to send signals for authentication and permission. This sort of RFID technology is the one that is utilized the most often inside business areas. Not to be confused with near-field communication, or NFC, cards, which are powered by RFID technology and can activate and communicate swiftly over short distances.
Smart Cards
Instead of using RFID technology, smart cards may be commanded by a higher level of identification software, which is driven by microcontrollers. The key card door lock Smart cards can read data from greater distances inside high-clearance sectors, such as banks, government institutions, and military establishments. Smart cards often boast more sophisticated encryption and mutual authentication as well.
Cards Used for Proximity
Cards that detect a user’s proximity are useful in places where a higher authorization level is not required. These access control cards also go by the name “prox cards,” which use RFID technology. Compared to the other available choices, they may have worse levels of security and encryption, even though they may be the most cost-effective option.
Cards with Wiegand
These devices were constructed using a specific communication system combined with a Wiegand sensor and were later named after the American inventor John Wiegand; because of the robust encryption and security, organizations frequently use them for access control. While Wiegand cards are partially obsolete, more advanced RFID technologies, have mostly taken their position in the industry.
Cards with Magnetic Stripes
These send data via a magnetic reader like a debit or credit card. This involves the transmission of data sets that show the cardholder credentials and has a black “stripe” on the back side of the card. Although they are believed to have a greater level of security than the Wiegand cards discussed above, they may still be readily or accidentally manipulated.
Keeping Activity Monitoring and Management in Working Order
Another aspect of keycard technology is the ability to keep real-time employee activity records. If an internal personnel problem or inquiry necessitates gathering further information, this may be useful. When used with other security technology, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and video analytics, Keycards may assist law enforcement agencies by detecting possible risks posed by individuals working inside the organization.
Consider doing a safety audit on the trackable keycard system. Depending on the sort of reader you use and the degree to which your systems are integrated, this may make it possible to examine exact timestamps and locations, which may help verify that staff are adhering to working hours as well as set lunch and break times.
