Page 55 - Cyber Defense eMagazine June 2020 Edition

Cybercriminals can also send phishing emails and malware to hack into your company server from where
they can break into your on-premise access control system, enter the workplace, and walk away with
physical or digital assets without you knowing it.

Are Key Cards Cyber-Secure?

A couple of years ago, a couple of scientists discovered a major vulnerability in hotel key cards that could
have been exploited by intelligence agencies, thieves and other criminals to gain access to rooms and
cause further damage.

It is estimated that 80% of all key cards being used to control access to workplaces can be hacked or
copied. All card readers run on Wiegand interfaces, a 1980s technology that even a complete idiot can
easily hack by following commonly available online tutorials.

Electronic locks that need no wiring and only an internet connection to grant access can become the
target of a cyber attack when the data communication is not secured by end-to-end encryption.

How Secure is Smartphone Access?

Smartphone based access control solutions that run on company networks should be a cause of concern
for cyber security teams. These systems make use of Bluetooth HID or NFC channels to relay data, which
can be hacked unless secured with encryption.

Your network is only as secure as the devices attached to it. To be cyber secure, your access control
system should offer endpoint security to prevent hackers from sneaking into the network by hacking
someone’s phone and manipulating access control.

Requirements of a Cyber-Secure Access Control Solution

A cyber-secure access control system should provide protection against threats at all vulnerable points,
which include data and application storage, access control devices, and the channel through which data
is transmitted.

Data and Application Storage

Access control systems that store information on-site and work on your organization's internal network
are a big hassle to manage and a looming security risk. Thanks to cloud computing, modern access
control systems are virtually impregnable and effortless to maintain. The backend is fully secured and
managed through Google, Amazon, or other reputed cloud servers, so you can sit back and relax.

Cyber Defense eMagazine –June 2020 Edition 55
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