Favorite Access Control Credentials 2014

Published Jul 11, 2014 04:00 AM

When it comes to the most popular way to unlock a door, which access credential type holds the favored spot among integrators?

The 'contenders' include:

  • Barcodes
  • Biometrics
  • Contactless 125kHZ
  • Contactless 13.56MHz
  • Magstripes

With plentiful options that have different shapes, securities, and price points, credentials are the electronic access equivalent of door keys. Not only must they be inexpensive to issue and easy to manage, they also need to be secure to prevent unauthorized entry and increasingly verify identity.

In this note, we look at how integrated surveyed answered 'What is your Favorite Credential?" and share their reasons why.

The ******

**** **** **** *** ***** *****, 13.56 *** "**********" **** *** *** spot.

*** ***** ***** ********** *** ****** breakdown:

***** **** *** ***** *****, ** left things open-ended **** ** '*****' ****** ** write-in ***** *** ********. *** ********** **** option ******** ******* ** *** **** below:

  • *** *** *********** (** ****, **** II):36%
  • **.** *** *********** (******, ******): **%
  • ********** (***********/**********/****/****): *%
  • ********/**********/********: *%
  • *****: *%

Contactless ** ****

********** ** **** *********, *** **** ** *****: Contactless (********** ****** *******) *********** ****** ** **% ** the ****. *** **** **** ***** can ***** * *****-****** **** **** a ******, ******* ******* ** ***** in * **** ** ***** * finger ******* * ******, ****** ** the ****'* **********.

***** **** *** ******* ***** ***** double ** ******* ** ******, *** inexpensive ** *****, *******, *** *** reliable *** *********** ******* **** ** clear **** *********** *********** **** ** part ** ****** ******* *** ***** to ****.

13.56 *** ** *** ***?

****** '***********' ***** *** *** ***** classes: *** *****, *********** *** *** type, *** *** ****** ********, *********, and ***** **.** *** ****.  *** latter ****, **** ***** ** *** '******' ** *******/****** ********** ******, *** out *** '*******' ****** ******* **'* less ************* ***********, ***** ********* ** the ****'* '****** ********' *** ****-***** cost:

  • "**.***** ** *** *** ****. *******, we ***** **** * **** ****** of ****** *** ***** ***** ** existing ***** *** *******."
  • "**.** ***: ** ** ***** ********** with better ********, *** *** ***** ********** is ****** *******."
  • "** **** **** **********. *** **** ** *********** *** broad ******* ** *** ***** **** *** *** projects."
  • "** **** ** **** **** ***, but *** **** ** *** ** copied, ** *** ****** ********." 
  • "***** ***** ** ** * ***** towards ***** **** ********** ** *** past * ******."
  • "**** **.** *** ***********. ** ****** try ** ******* *** ***** ** the ***** *** ******** **** ** ******."
  • " *** ****** *** ******* (************* - but *** **********) **** **** ** Mifare **** *** **** **** *****." 

125 *** ********

*******, ** ** ***** *** *** soon ** **** *** *** ******** yet. **** *********** **** ** ***** that ******* *** *****, **** ** not **** ****** ****** ** ****** what *****, ** ***** ***** **** of ********* ******* ** *** **** to *******:

  • "***********. *****'* ***** *** **** ** transfer ** ***** ***** ***."
  • "*** ***, ******* ** *** ******* smaller ********* **** ***'* **** *** need *** *** ***** **********."
  • "*** ******** ** *** ******** *** retrofits *** ********* **** ***** **** to ******** ** *** ***** ******** 125 *** *****."
  • "******...**'* * *****! *********** ******** **** **** *********!"
  • "** **** **** ******, ******* ** more ********** ** ** *********."
  • "****** ******. ******** ** *** *** **** to **** ***** **.** *** *******."
  • "******. ******* *** ****** ******** ** customer, *** ****** ******"

Biometrics ******

******* *** ********* ****** **** ********** ** ******* [link ** ****** *********] *** ******, the ******** **** ******** * ****** 6% ** *****. *** **** ********** trend ******** **** ********** ********* ** that ** ***** ** *** ******* **** mainstream ***, ** ****** ** *** discussion ** ************,***********, *****, ** **** ****** *****:

  • "** *** ******* ****, * ** not **** ** *** "*********" ******. * believe ***** ** ***** **** ** be ****."
  • "** *****'* **** **** **** **** the **** *** *****."
  • "*** **** ******* ******* * ********* was *** *** ***, *** ** get *** ***** *** *** ** turn *** ******** **** ** * point ***** ** ****'* ***** *****."
  • "** ** *** *** **********."
  • "****, ****'** *** ********."
  • "*** **** ** **** ** *********. Too ********* *** *** ******."

** **** ******* * ******** ******* of ********** ********* ** "**** ** your ******** *********, *** ***?" ** the **** ***** **** ***** * focused **** ** ********* *** ** access *******.

Magstripes, ******** *** ****?

******* ***** *** ***** ********* ***** available, ********* **** ** ***** *** sun *** *** ** ***** ******** and ********* *** ********** ******.  ***** those ***** *** ***** ****** **** ** the************** ******* ********** ******** *** *** ** ****** *** ******* using ****** ***** ********, **** *** not ****** ******* ** ********* ***********.

 

Comments (8)
MF
Marc Freundlich
Jul 15, 2014

Nice quick survey....amazing that iClass was introduced to the market over 10 years ago and LF (125kHz) still plays such a large role in day to day usage....a testament to the average life cycle of access control systems that you wrote about earlier. I would be interested to know of the 13.56Mhz slice how many use UID/CSN only or actually have secure sectors formatted between the reader the credential?

I recall the majority of 13.56 in the first 5 years were almost all UID/CSN...which kind of defeats the purpose of added security over 125kHz.

Keep up the great work!

U
Undisclosed
Jul 18, 2014

Fascinating that y'all are down in the weeds talking about radio frequencies instead of calling one of these choices ISO 14443. How's that whole "you're all selling clonable cards when you sell prox" thing working out, by the way?

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jul 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

The problem in identifying by the 'ISO 14443' standard is that it isn't very concise.

There are two major variants of ISO 14443: Types 'A' or 'B'.

While some aspects are interoperable, most features and data the card contains is not readable unless both types are reader supported.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Jan 21, 2015

I don't like complicating things anymore than anyone else. But in this case, it might have been intersing to allow a first and second choice selection, and see who came out second. I don't think it would necessarily mean anyone using 13.56Mhz as a first choice would list 125Khz as a second choice. I would think a company mostly doing new installs would probably have 13.56Mhz as a first choice, and biometric as a clear second choice way above other methods.

(1)
VT
Val Tsyrklevich
Jan 22, 2015

Most likely for new full installation they use only 13.56Mhz cards. But if they need to expand already functioning site to new additional building, they have to use whatever was installed at the rest of the site buildings. Just to make everything compatible.

PS
Paul Salvato
Jan 22, 2015

I have not had opportunity to use any biometrics readers. I do have significant experience with finger print readers as they relate to Laptop computers. When they first came out a few years back they initially worked but to continue to use them on your laptop as a credential they needed constant maintenance, such as keeping the scan surface clean of dirt and oils, this type of maintenance caused the end users to have me remove the option as a form of credential. I would imagine this would be an issue with an implementation in a busy 200 unit residence.

PH
Pheng Her
Jan 22, 2015
IPVMU Certified

If I was to choose a favorite biometric access control system I would choose the finger print. This is what I use everyday to log into my laptop it's a lot faster compare to typing in my password or doing a face scan.

Avatar
Richard Hyde
Apr 18, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Great "to the point" article and survey.  Appreciate the information.