TRY THIS CHECKING By Lance Naismith
or all of the security precautions com- panies implement these days, some- times the most important ones are forgotten. Simple security steps like locking doors, shutting windows and powering off computers are sometimes forgotten due to oversight, ignorance or even laziness. However, when it comes to ensuring the people in your building are the ones that are supposed to be, there is no room for error. This is why deploying proper se- curity identification badges is a key cog in any company’s overall security plan. From visible security features like holo- graphic foil stamps, micro-text and optical variable ink to the quality of printing on the card itself, there is new technology avail- able that will ensure your ID badges are safe from duplication and misuse. However, if you have an ID badge system in place already, don’t fret just yet as there are options available that will help limit the cost of upgrading.
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“Organizations can utilize legacy systems while incorporating new security features into an ID badge, with migration card reader technology,” advises Jeff Sharpe, president of Avon Security Products, “Migration readers are available for those seeking to upgrade their current access control cards from magnetic stripe technology to more current smart card technology.” There can be issues, though, if not done correctly, warns Raymond Chow, product manager for Identicam. A carbon-less mask, a security feature that prevents bar-code copying, needs to be read by a visible light reader and, if a holo- gram is placed too close to this mask, it will cause misreads. These issues can be addressed through professional construc- tion of your ID badge. “Today, everyone needs to be security
32 SECURITY MATTERS • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
Holograms, micro text and new cloud-based services are just some of the options businesses now have for creating state-of-the-art identification badges
you should ensure that the service provider has “Designated Organizational Screening” clearance to ensure liability is- sues concerning private information are adhered to.
conscious,” believes Chow. “Knowing that your credential is authentic brings peace of mind to the work place and is important for public safety.”
For Kyle Fairfield, sales and key ac- counts manager for E-Card Identification Products in British Columbia, it is really important for companies to distinguish the inside and the outside of the card when deciding on what security features to in- corporate in their respective ID badges. For example, outside security features help prevent forgery or assist forgery de- tection, while inside features help to au- thenticate the user.
The quality and complexity of badge construction raises the question of whether a company should print and issue its own ID badges or outsource the service to a third-party solution provider.
Before making this decision, compa- nies must review their privacy policies to see whether or not the policies prevent them from disseminating employee infor- mation outside the company. Fairfield points out that even if you can outsource,
As for in-house printing of ID badges, there are numerous issues to consider. Carmen Ritter of Groove Identification So- lutions notes that you need to consider how many cards you will be printing, how robust a printer you will need, replacement cycle, ribbon cost and cost per employee in terms of preparation time and training for equipment usage. Also, will you need a multiple use printer (i.e., ID badge plus business cards) and do you want high res- olution or low-resolution print quality? Some advantages of a service bureau, says Ritter, are the lack of equipment cap- ital, no breakdown worry, high-end tech- nology availability, obsolescence is not an issue and high-tech cards are always in stock. On the flip side, two disadvantages are the delay in shipping and the incon- venience of temporary access cards. And of course any talk about technology these days can’t be complete without a mention of cloud computing. Avon’s Sharpe notes that a new process called “Cards On Line” by Polaroid allows card production through the Internet via en- crypted software, permitting a company to control ID badge production online, without dependency on local computer software.
Lance Naismith is a freelance writer in Oakville, Ont.
SOURCES Avon Security Products •
www.avonsecurityproducts.com E-Card Identification Products •
www.idexperts.com Groove Identification •
www.groovebadges.com Identicam •
www.identicam.com
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