Access Controls and Why They Are Important

Security is more important to us in today’s society than ever before. Of course, we want to protect ourselves from physical threats, but we must also safeguard against cyber threats that endanger our electronic information. Luckily, advances in access control systems can prevent these threats from materializing and protect you, your loved ones, and your personal data.

BCU Electric is a local leader in access control services, as we provide the cutting-edge technology that keeps you safe. In this article, we’ll discuss what access controls are, what they do, and why they’re important.

What are access controls?

Access control systems are a way to limit and control a person's access to a physical or electronic location or item. These systems are divided into two groups: physical and logical. Physical access controls protect places and possessions like whole buildings, individual rooms, equipment, and valuable belongings. Logical access controls protect electronic data and locations like computer networks and files.

Done are the days of lock and key entry into most guest service, exclusive, or membership-type establishments. Places like hotels, vacation homes and rentals, gyms, and schools have moved away from traditional keys in favor of physical access control systems that utilize key cards, fobs, access codes, and even fingerprints or facial recognition.

Similarly, logical access controls guard electronic networks, files, and data by implementing high-security authentication and authorization processes that grant or deny access to certain users. Instead of a key card or fob, a user has a secure password, PIN, or other credentials like tokens or biometric scans.

How do access controls work?

Access controls work by first identifying an individual. Each person in the system is then verified and granted various levels of security clearance. Any time a user attempts to gain entry to a physical or electronic location or electronic data, their identity is confirmed, and access is authorized through some type of passcode or scanning mechanism. 

There are several models of access control systems that accommodate varying levels of security, depending on what is needed and what is being stored or protected.

Why are access controls important?

Access controls are important for a myriad of reasons. They are used by schools, the hospitality industry, financial institutions, and businesses of all sizes and fields to safeguard both people and information. 

Most obviously, access controls ensure that anyone who is not supposed to be somewhere does not gain entry. For example, almost all schools now require key fob or key card entry for all staff, and all visitors must be verified and let in by office personnel; the same is true for most newly constructed apartment buildings. Likewise, many banks and large corporations have certain areas or rooms that restrict access to anyone without proper access credentials. Furthermore, these systems also keep a record of each user who has entered a location, which can come in handy if there is ever a security breach.

Aside from keeping people safe, access controls also protect information. Personal employee data, financial business information, and other types of electronic information are often guarded by multi-layer passcode operations that limit who has access to them. This decreases the likelihood of hackers obtaining confidential materials and using them criminally. 

Without proper access controls, people and information are at a potential risk.

The Bottom Line

Access controls are becoming increasingly important as safety concerns for places like schools, banks, and hotels grow. While no measure is ever 100% effective all the time, it’s comforting to know that there are measures we can put in place to add extra security.

BCU Electric can help you determine what type of access control system best suits your needs, and we can install it as well. Call us for a quote today!