Page 34 - Security Today, February 2018

MOBILE ACCESS
SHIFTING FOCUS
Cloud-based mobile access shifts beyond security to trust and identity-aware intelligence
By Darren Learmonth
Organizations are changing how they look at security as users employ mobile devices for everything from opening doors to accessing information and services. The availability of wireless connections, mobile communica- tion networks and cloud-based architectures
is transforming what once was a narrowly-focused mission aimed at barring unauthorized access. Instead, the focus increasingly is on the broader challenges of adding trust to systems, services and physical environments while making them “identity-aware,” so organizations can optimize pro- cesses and efficiency while delivering the best possible user experience.
This evolution beyond a focus exclusively on security to the broader concept of trust is manifesting itself in several ways. First, the use of trusted IDs on mobile devices does, indeed, im- prove security as compared to using only physical ID cards. Sec- ond, these mobile IDs are creating new ways to bridge the gap between and among workers, smarter buildings and an Internet of Trusted Things (IoTT). Third, mobile IDs that leverage cloud- based architectures open the door to deep learning and other technologies that will enable intention detection while improving predictive analytics.
Relationship Between Trust and Security
Today’s technologies allow physical access control providers to move from on premise to cloud-based access control. An in- creasing number of traditional PACS headend system providers have started moving their solutions into the cloud with mobile ID capabilities, as a complement to their traditional access con- trol offerings. These solutions offer the most secure way to add trust to identities in today’s increasingly digital world. All trans- actions related to issuing, managing and presenting mobile IDs using smartphones are conducted in a closed-circuit environ- ment protected by end-to-end encryption. Trust is further rein- forced because mobile IDs can be issued, updated and revoked anytime and anywhere that there is an internet or telecommuni- cations networks.
Beyond applications in physical access control, mobile phones are also being used as handheld validation devices or “authenti- cators” for verifying online access — a mobile app is combined with public key-based cryptography and push technology to cre- ate a new experience for corporate VPN access. These solutions provide added security that is far more intuitive and user-friendly compared to traditional methods of authentication. Ultimately,
these authentication solutions can be more broadly used to help increase cybersecurity for healthcare providers and digital busi- ness and enterprises while improving employee satisfaction.
Meanwhile, cloud hosting allows for continuous threat moni- toring and vulnerability scanning, and provides various other pri- vacy-preserving features. Cloud-based access control also pres- ents the very real opportunity to create trusted, identity-aware and truly seamless access environments and experiences for end users, where cloud-based platforms for access control become the backbone to incorporate a range of existing, new and emerging technologies.
Connecting Workers,
Spaces and Things
Trusted mobile IDs bridge the gap between smart buildings, the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected workers. They integrate
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