Securing large buildings is encompassed by a lot of components. When it comes to this matter, the goal of access control here is to grant access to your building or workplace only to those authorized to enter. For decades, the lever lock and its brass key have been the standard for access management. But modern businesses want more. Yes, they want to control who comes through their doors, but they also need a way to track and manage access. So the key has passed the baton to computerized digital access control systems that allow quick and easy access to authorized individuals and deny access to unauthorized individuals.
Standalone Access Control
Standalone access control techniques use secure locks on each door. The systems are distributed to the specific door they control. Standalone access control can be helpful for small facilities where the number of people needing access to the building or the number of restricted entries is small. In general, it is easier to set up a standalone access control program than a networked system, but if you want to modify the system (e.g., exclude a card or key from access), you must do so at each door.
Discretionary Access Control
The business owner is responsible for determining which individuals are allowed to enter a given location, either digitally or physically. DAC, unlike other programs, is the least restrictive, as it enables an individual to have absolute control over all the objects he or she owns, as well as the applications associated with those objects. However, the downside of DAC is that it gives the end-user complete authority over the security settings of individual users, and the recognition granted to the end-user are disseminated to other applications that the end-user is using, which can lead to the deployment of malware without the end-user being aware of it.
Role-Based Access Control
A role-based access control paradigm defines permissions based on the roles assigned to clients by the system. Access rights are typically based on status and job title in an enterprise, e.g., management has full access to engineering. In contrast, employees or contractors in a particular department may have access only to the paths they need to do their job. RBAC is an easy-to-use model and allows administrators to define users and adjust permissions from a central database. RBAC systems typically use the principles of freedom and separation of emergencies, where consumers are categorized and given only the minimum access they need to do their job.
Bottom Line
When securing your property and the building’s occupants, access control is one of the best ways to ensure their safety. However, access control is more than just allowing people into your premises. Access control helps you effectively protect your information from different types of intruders. It is up to your company’s access control policy to choose the system that best suits your needs.
