The security industry is as much affected by trends as any other. The Internet of Things, cybersecurity and mobility have all become as fundamental to business development today in the physical security industry as they are to the industries we serve. As providers develop and evolve their products and services, we are incorporating these new factors – both into our own offerings, and as influences in assessing the threats we are helping our customers protect against.

Key control is a foundational element of physical security – virtually every organization functioning now uses hard keys to a greater or lesser extent, and they need to be managed, controlled and tracked to help mitigate risk.

Here are three ways that trends in key control mirror trends in the physical security industry.

Internet of Things

With more and more systems leveraging the capabilities of the network, the possibilities of interoperability have become reality. Now multiple business systems can share databases, saving time and helping to maintain more accurate information.

Today’s key control solutions feature open protocols to allow the system to be integrated with other technologies to streamline processes and eliminate redundancies. For example, if an employee is terminated, their credentials can be automatically deleted from the key control system as well. An attempt by an unauthorized person to remove a key to the data center can notify security personnel in that area of the facility to be on highest alert. This integration can help management across a number of business areas such as time and attendance, compliance reporting/tracking, and more.

Cybersecurity

Cyber breaches are rapidly becoming one of the greatest threats to organizations today. One of the easiest way for hackers to access a network is by breaking into a facility and plugging into an IP port or stealing a laptop or server. This makes key control an essential element of cyber protection.

Any device on the network should be hardened against breaches as well. You should never connect any device to your network without first ensuring it has a strong firewall that blocks any unused ports – like the one included in KeyWatcher and SmartKey Lockers, along with proper built-in encryption. Data encryption, like the 256-bit encryption offered on Morse Watchmans’ networked products, provides the highest level of security by translating data into a new, more secure format. This ensures that even if someone is able to breach the network, your data will still be protected.

Mobility

This catch-all word has a number of different meanings, but they all reflect the new reality that we are now a mobile population. People are carrying devices with them at all times and have the expectation that they will be able to manage their work processes and responsibilities from wherever they are.

For those tasked with key management, mobile apps provide visibility into all relevant current and historical information for the system. Permissions can be changed or revoked, new identities can be added, keys can be reserved, and more – all from any location. Further, the mobile device serves as a notification vehicle for any alerts, which can be sent instantly via text or email.

As new technology trends reach the physical security industry, the leading providers are already prepared with products and features that meet the needs of their changing market.