Access control - trusted identities

At the heart of the HID Global-sponsored Investigation by IFSEC Global focuses on the opportunities and benefits that an access control infrastructure, combined with trusted identities, offers for connecting a wide range of systems. According to the study, 85% of respondents know that identities can be used across different systems and devices. More than 60% also believe that in doing so, using a single ID card or mobile device increases operational efficiency. In addition, 60% of respondents have already linked access control systems with other building management systems.

Other important results at a glance:

• 63% classify their building as at least partially "smart", compared to a 2016 IFSEC Global survey on smart buildings, an increase of 13 percentage points is registered here
• 51% of respondents have integrated time and attendance systems with other building management systems
• 45% see asset tracking as the area most likely to be linked to other systems in the near future
• Key drivers for access control system upgrades include: enhanced security (65%), multifactor authentication (46%), and support for a wide variety of ID form factors such as mobile devices and cards (41%)
• two-thirds of respondents believe that IT and facilities or security management teams should work more closely together when purchasing, installing and operating new technologies.

IoT importance on the rise

Ultimately, the survey also indicates that the importance of the Internet of Things (IoT) will increase. Thus, 86% also confirm that they have knowledge regarding the IoT and its benefits and risks. In terms of an increasingly connected workplace, trusted identities can help organizations further integrate building systems with secure and optimized IoT applications that can connect people, places and things.

Seamless integration desired

"Most respondents want stronger, seamless integration of smart building and business applications. Many companies are implementing it with a common management framework with centralized databases. However, this approach is generally very costly," said Ashish Malpani of HID Global. "The study shows that trusted identities can be a feasible alternative for building a connected building, with lower costs, better ROI, and an optimized user experience. To do this, all systems need to be designed for identity verification and authorization so that a single identity can be used to access elevators, parking garages, vending machines or printers."

For the report, "Access control in the connected workplace: The benefits and barriers to enhancing convenience and compliance in connected buildings," IFSEC Global surveyed several hundred security officers and facility managers in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Source: HID Global