Chris Burke

CEO MicroLatch

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ACCESS CONTROL INDUSTRY ALERT
By Chris Burke Managing Director MicroLatch

INTRODUCTION
Recent questions have been raised about the vulnerabilities of physical access control systems. In my opinion, the majority of attacks are generally simple in nature and involve a person already associated in some manner with the entity.

CURRENT ACCESS SYSTEMS
The best way to prevent any type of fraud is to defend at the front line; this involves focusing on the employee ‘credential’ for physical or logical access.

The majority of Corporate security systems these days allocate an I/D number to the individual and track their movements via access card or PIN readers. This form of security system therefore relies solely on identifying the access card or PIN entered.

The process of card badging or PIN input actually becomes the security system’s greatest weakness, in that; we are only identifying the card or PIN – not the individual. Therefore, employee collusion for fraud or ‘time & attendance’ manipulation has developed.

The ability to recreate, loan, steal access cards or video PIN numbers being entered ensues; and in recent times it has become very easy to copy proximity or magnetic stripe cards.

DETECTING THE CARD USER
The most important step forward in security systems has been with the advent of Biometrics, which offers a far greater certainty for identification purposes. The newly formulated requirement is to add a Biometrics template to the access card or PIN in the most cost-effective manner and with the greatest security upgrade.

Microlatch have created many patented solutions that add such a Biometric signature to existing systems, thereby offering a simple upgrade and ensuring the identification of the card holder or PIN being entered.

The two types of systems are shown below, CCF (Combination Card and Finger) and BIOFOB (BIOmetric keyFOB) with integrated proximity tag.

USE ADDITIONAL FACTOR OF AUTHENTICATION
The use of card readers with add-ons such as Microlatch CCF (Combination Card and Finger) means that lost cards cannot be picked up and simply used to enter a facility. It also eliminates the threat of card cloning.

Microlatch offer a simple upgrade to any existing card reader, simply ‘plug and play’ and the reader automatically holds the transmission data until a valid finger is presented, Simple and very Secure.

The use of biometric readers to insure that the person presenting the card is actually the same person that was issued the card can be used at doors where a higher level of security is required. A similar solution is to use hand-held biometric fobs that only emit RFID card data after a biometric authentication has occurred.

These types of devices, available from companies like Microlatch, actually help to increase privacy and cannot be surreptitiously read without the user’s permission since the access control credential cannot be read until the biometric authentication process has taken place.

CONCLUSION
Security systems these days need to upgrade with Biometrics enhancements, as it is becoming more obvious to perpetrators that intrusion into these buildings or online platforms are so easy with Trojan software solutions, video capturing of PIN’s and card theft or copying techniques.

the culture of keyfobs for security, alarm panel, automotive and every-day use.

About Chris Burke

Chris Burke has a background in electrical engineering, and has worked for major technology organisations including IBM, RACAL. Chris founded Securicom in the late 1980s, focusing on magnetic stripe software and hardware integration into banking platforms.

These solutions were then commissioned in most major financial institutions throughout Australia, Asia and China during the early 1990’s. In 1995, Chris formed BQT Solutions, formerly Banque Technology Systems PLC, a listed vehicle on the London technology AIM stock exchange and currently Sydney Stock Exchange.

This company introduced wireless smart cards (Mifare) to the security market with successful sales to BBC Television, Great Britain’s MI5, SUN Microsystems, FBI and several high-profile government buildings globally.

Based on the vast experience gained from within the banking and payment card market, Chris next created a combination of biometrics, wireless and portable stand alone solutions for his new venture in Microlatch.

The last few years have resulted in a unique range of products that are now patented global inventions and are finding a diverse market infiltration and recognition. The combination of these individual technologies into a cohesive combination product range is a ground-breaking achievement and shows the significant potential as the world looks for simpler and more confident techniques to prove our identity for access control and online systems.

The cyber world today requires a technological response to reduce the accelerating fraud now shaping our lives. Also, Chris has achieved this success with a simplistic approach to empower customers understanding and operation within a stand-alone self managed product platform.