The global access-control market is projected to reach a total value of $10.4bn by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 10.6%, according to research by Markets and Markets.
Access control technically includes the time-honoured mechanical lock and key, but when people talk about access control in the modern security industry, they mean sophisticated electronic turnstiles, gates, wireless locks and other barriers.
Keys can be lost, stolen and copied, leaving assets vulnerable and requiring an expensive change of locks. Happily, when an electronic access card is lost or stolen, access rights can be withdrawn immediately, rendering the card inactive. Should thieves gain access before a theft is noticed, operators can identify when they breached security and – if there are multiple access points – where in the building they are at any given time.
Modern access-control systems also offer flexible access rights. For example, while all staff can generally gain access through a building’s main entrance, access to certain internal areas may be restricted to those with relevant authority. Access can also be restricted to specific time periods.
The plastic access card has long been the dominant form of identity verification. While they still govern access for most installed systems, biometric solutions – usually authenticating identity through facial, fingerprint and iris recognition – are becoming more reliable, affordable and widespread.
Often accused of being a conservative industry the access control sector is finally emulating its CCTV counterpart in embracing IP, open-platform technology, the internet of things and integration with, and interoperability between, building systems. Mobile access – gaining access using smartphones – is one burgeoning trend with numerous operational benefits.
January 17, 2019
Nedap Security Management has been certified to ISO 27001 – making its entire range of products and services compliant with an internationally renowned benchmark for information security. Read More
January 15, 2019
ASSA ABLOY is in the process of acquiring KEYper Systems, a US-based supplier of electronic and mechanical key management systems. Read More
January 7, 2019
Security installers got their hands on Paxton’s latest product, wireless door handle PaxLock Pro, in a series of product showcases at the tail end of 2018. Read More
December 19, 2018
Businesses vulnerable to terror attack are being urged to consider access control systems that facilitate dynamic lockdown procedures – which quickly restrict access and egress to a site or building during a fast-moving emergency. Read More
December 13, 2018
Operating in standalone mode or as part of a networked system, PaxLock Pro has a compact design and is, says Paxton, easy to install. This case study outlines the project brief for an installation at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, Paxton products involved and the benefits reaped as a result. Read More
December 12, 2018
Below is the most popular content – articles, videos and white papers – published on IFSEC Global for 2018. We’ve […] Read More
December 12, 2018
HID Global has unveiled a subscription-based delivery model that give large organisations more flexibility and simplifies access to HID Global’s identity and access management (IAM) software and services. Read More
December 7, 2018
Identity solutions developer HID Global has extended its HID goID mobile identity management solution for deploying and managing mobile citizen ID programmes. Read More
December 7, 2018
This infographic is based on the table everyone encountered in school science lessons, substituting for chemical elements the technologies and concepts central to the modern security sector. First published in 2014 it's been updated to accommodate emerging phenomena like the IoT. Read More
December 7, 2018
It’s the latest in a string of accolades in 2018 for the Brighton-based business, which was listed among the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe, named in The Sunday Times 100 best companies to work for and won Company of the Year at the Brighton & Hove Business Awards. Read More