Your access control system is supposed to make your facility more secure. But what if it’s actually making things worse?
Many facility managers discover their access control systems have drifted into a state where they’re creating security vulnerabilities while also costing more money to operate than they should. These aren’t dramatic failures, but subtle problems that accumulate over months and years.
Here are five warning signs that your access control system is compromising both your security and your budget.
Sign 1: You’re Still Using Outdated Card Technology
If your access control system still uses basic proximity cards from five or more years ago, your security is likely weaker than you think.
Older proximity card technology is relatively easy to clone or bypass. An unauthorized person with basic technical knowledge and inexpensive equipment can duplicate an employee’s card. Unlike modern smart card technology with encryption and authentication, old proximity systems offer little protection against sophisticated threats.
Outdated card systems also create administrative overhead. When an employee leaves, you need to track down their physical card. If it’s lost, you need to issue a new one. You can’t easily disable access for contractors or vendors when their assignment ends. You have to wait for them to turn in their cards.
Modern alternatives solve these problems. Mobile credentials let employees use their phones instead of physical cards. No cards are lost (unless the employee loses their phone), and access can be revoked instantly. Smart cards with encryption make cloning much harder, as well. Some customers opt for biometric access using fingerprint or facial recognition that eliminates the need for cards at all.
If your system still uses basic proximity cards with no modernization path, it’s compromising your security and creating unnecessary costs.
Sign 2: You Don’t Have Meaningful Audit Trails or Reporting
Can you generate a report showing who accessed your facility on Tuesday between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.? Can you see which employees swiped in after hours? Do you get alerts when an access attempt is denied?
Meaningful audit trails deter unauthorized access and help you investigate security incidents. Employees are far less likely to tailgate, share credentials, or abuse access privileges when they know detailed records are being kept.
Auditing also helps with compliance. If your facility operates under regulatory requirements like healthcare, finance, or government standards, regulators expect to see thorough access records. Without this, you’re vulnerable to compliance violations and fines.
You should have real time alerts for denied access attempts or after hours access. You should be able to generate easy reports showing who accessed what, and when. Your system should integrate with your security camera system so you can correlate access records with video footage.
If your system can’t do these things, upgrading will immediately improve your security posture.
Sign 3: Employees Are Finding Workarounds
When employees develop workarounds—propping the door open with a wedge, for one common example—your access control system stops controlling access. It may be a speed bump, but it’s no longer a security barrier.
These workarounds also create liability. If an unauthorized person accesses your facility because someone propped open a door or shared credentials, and something bad happens, you may face liability issues.
Workarounds happen when the authorized access process is too complicated for legitimate needs. Equipment isn’t working reliably. The system can’t accommodate temporary access scenarios.
The fix involves both technology improvements, but also articulated processes. The goal is for legitimate access requests to be frictionless.
Sign 4: Your System Can’t Integrate With Other Building Systems
Your access control system works in isolation. Your security cameras operate independently. Your emergency lockdown system is separate. That kind of fragmentation creates security gaps.
Let’s say an employee swipes into a secure area at 2 a.m. when the building should be closed. Ideally, this triggers an alert, correlates with security camera footage, and activates a response. But if your systems can’t talk to each other, nobody notices until the next day.
If an intruder is detected, your integrated system should automatically lock certain areas, alert security personnel, and record video. But if systems are disconnected, the response is fragmented and ineffective.
Integration also improves efficiency. Visitor management becomes seamless if integrated with your access control system. Your system should let access events trigger camera recording. Unusual access patterns should generate automated alerts. Mobile credentials should work seamlessly with existing hardware.
If your system was installed years ago without integration in mind, upgrading to a modern system can dramatically improve your security and operational efficiency.
Sign 5: Your System Isn’t Meeting Your Maintenance Needs
Manufacturers specify maintenance requirements. If those requirements aren’t being met, the manufacturer may refuse warranty coverage when something fails. A simple repair might become a $5,000 problem if the warranty is voided.
Poorly maintained systems become increasingly unreliable. Readers that haven’t been cleaned in months start misreading cards. Control panels develop software issues. Batteries that haven’t been tested fail the moment you actually need them.
Proper maintenance includes regular cleaning and inspection of readers, firmware and software updates, battery testing and replacement, system backup and disaster recovery, and quarterly inspections and performance testing.
The Bigger Picture
An outdated access control system isn’t just a security risk. It’s a hidden budget drain. Consider the total cost: administrative overhead of managing cards, manual workarounds requiring staff time, frequent troubleshooting, expensive emergency repairs not covered by warranty, operational inefficiency from disconnected systems, and security incidents that might have been prevented.
Upgrading to a modern, well integrated system with proper maintenance usually pays for itself through reduced administrative overhead, improved operational efficiency, better security and risk reduction, lower maintenance costs, and warranty coverage that protects against unexpected failures.
What Should You Do Now?
Do you recognize any of these five warning signs? If so, it’s time for a professional assessment.
A qualified security partner can audit your current system to identify vulnerabilities, recommend upgrades that improve security and reduce costs, develop a maintenance plan, design integration with other building systems, and plan a phased upgrade.
Don’t let an aging access control system compromise your security or drain your budget. Garrison Gates & Access Control specializes in assessing, upgrading, and maintaining access control systems for facilities throughout the Midwest.
Call us at (317) 555-GATE (4283) or contact us for a free security assessment. We’ll evaluate your current system and recommend solutions that improve both your security and your bottom line.
