Page 22 - Security Today, May 2018

Automated Critical Security Trusted ID solutions will make smart buildings safer
BTy Mark Robinton
housands of people pour into and out of high-rise of- fice buildings each day, and each must be kept safe and secure. Two of the biggest challenges in accomplishing this are guard tour management and ensuring that all fire and safety equipment complies with inspection and
maintenance regulations. Trusted identities can be used to automate and improve both processes.
Guard management is actually a three-part problem. Keys must be tracked, guards must visit all their checkpoints as efficiently as possible, and there must be a process for auditing billable contractor hours. An identity solution that combines trusted near field commu- nications (NFC) tags and a cloud-based authentication system can be used to automate each of these processes, integrating key manage- ment, security patrol and contractor services into a single solution.
The resulting system enables secure proof-of-presence with fric- tionless authentication while delivering more accurate and actionable information in real time. It also can be deployed using an organiza- tion’s existing IT infrastructure along with standard NFC-enabled smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
To implement an automated key management solution, an organi- zation can use trusted NFC tags to provide unique identities to keys. The way the system works is easy: To check out a physical key, a user first taps a tablet or other mobile device with the trusted NFC tag and enters an authorized identity. The user is then notified when the key is due to be returned, and again taps the tablet to check it back
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in. Automated key management significantly reduces the amount of time and resources spent managing and replacing lost or stolen keys. Organizations can account for each key in real time, and they have access to historical issuance and return activities so they can better understand which keys are in most demand.
Connected Guard Tour and
Contractor Management
To manage guard tours and patrols, various tag formats must be placed at each patrol checkpoint throughout the building, and heavi- er-duty tags can be used to designate outdoor checkpoints. From there, guards simply tap each checkpoint visited with their NFC- enabled smartphone. The system identifies each checkpoint by name, and automatically uploads timestamp information and updates data- bases in real time, providing digital proof that a security patrol took place at the proper location, and at the proper time. Alerts can be triggered if too much time passes between checkpoints. If a guard encounters an incident, the smartphone can be used to generate a detailed report, including photo or video evidence, and to escalate activity, when needed, according to protocol. A simple tap is the only training needed to ensure effective system deployment.
Automated guard tour management makes it possible for guards to deliver more timely and detailed reporting, while reducing how long it takes for each individual security patrol. Facility managers currently using these systems also note improvement in the manage-
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