Keycard door access control systems are very convenient for hotels and other commercial establishments. A customer can quickly be handed a keycard that can not only access their door, but can also provide access to a gym or laundry room. When the customer checks out, the keycard can be deactivated without the risk of the customer returning to open the door again. However, before implementing a keycard system, it is important to understand what security risks exist with keycard locks.
The Locking Mechanism
Regardless of how resistant a keycard lock is to hacking, it will still be bypassed if it does not have an adequate locking mechanism. These include maglocks, deadbolts, shear locks, locksets, and strikes. Some of these locks are more vulnerable. For example, the maglock can be bypassed by disrupting the power supply. However, the magnetic lock is much easier to install. Other locks are much more secure, such as the deadbolt.
The Design
There are some locks that are simply insecure by design. The proper device can be plugged into a port and used to read the key stored on the lock. Therefore, when choosing a keycard system, it is important to make sure that there are no exploits that could be used to gain access to a hotel room.
Whether The Lock Can Be Copied
Another concern with keycards is that there are some versions that are easy to copy. To make sure that a keycard is not easy to copy, it is important that the keycard form a handshake with the reader by exchanging information back and forth about four times. This makes the card much more difficult to duplicate.
The Type Of Keycard
The two most common types of keycards are the clamshell and printable keycards. Clamshell keycards are often chosen because they are less expensive. However, the printed keycards allow for both sides of the card to be used. This is useful if it is necessary to also use the keycard for another purpose, such as an ID tag. However, both types can be equally secure.
Commercial Locksmiths
The best way to make sure that your hotel room has a secure keycard system installed is to have it installed by a commercial locksmith specialist. By doing so, the specialist will be able to make sure that the perfect brand is installed for your hotels. A commercial locksmith, like one from Scottsdale Locksmithing, can also make sure that the locking mechanism will be difficult to bypass.
