In an era of rising cyberthreats and targeted attacks, the security of access control systems is increasingly more important. With organizations relying on electronic credentials – like smart cards, mobile badges and biometric devices – protecting these digital keys is essential to help mitigate breaches. One of the most powerful tools for safeguarding credentials is the use of custom encryption keys.
For security integrators aiming to deliver secure, compliant and forward-thinking solutions, understanding why custom keys matter can significantly enhance system flexibility and help to reduce security risks. In this article, we’ll explore five game-changing advantages of custom encryption keys that integrators need to understand.
At the heart of a secure access control system lies encryption – the process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption keys are strings of bits used by cryptographic algorithms to transform readable information into an unreadable format and back again. In access control, encryption keys protect credentials such as smart cards, fobs, and mobile credentials, to allow only authorized users to gain entry.
Many off-the-shelf access control systems come with default or factory-set encryption keys. While using default encryption keys is more convenient, they’re also used across many other customer sites. While technically secure, this limits the site’s ability to branch out beyond access control applications and standard use cases.
Further, the prevalence of one key in many sites increases the impact of successful cyberattacks. This is where custom encryption keys come in. Custom encryption keys are cryptographic keys that are uniquely generated and assigned for a specific organization, rather than using default or shared keys provided by hardware or software vendors.
By customizing the encryption keys, organizations maintain greater control to ensure that the data exchanged – such as credential information, communication between access control devices and management commands – is protected by a unique cryptographic signature that only authorized systems can decrypt and validate.
This tailored approach enhances the security posture of the entire access control ecosystem while giving the organization the freedom to choose how, and where, it is used.
5 Ways Custom Encryption Keys Impact Customer Ecosystems
1. Strengthened Security Against Credential Cloning and Cyber Attacks
Many access control system hardware offerings ship with default or factory-set encryption keys that are shared across multiple customers or installations. If the security of these default keys is compromised, attackers can gain knowledge of these keys to clone credentials, intercept communication, or launch replay attacks to bypass security measures.
Custom encryption keys create a unique cryptographic environment tailored to each deployment. By assigning exclusive keys to credentials and system components, organizations create strong barriers against duplication and hacking attempts. This compartmentalization helps to ensure that even if one system’s key is compromised, attackers cannot leverage that breach to access other systems or facilities.
2. Greater Flexibility and Interoperability
Custom encryption keys empower organizations with granular control over how, and with which products, that encryption key gets used. In complex environments – such as corporate campuses, higher education campuses, and healthcare facilities – there is often a need for the capabilities of the credential to extend beyond access control.
One historically common path is for manufacturers to employ or embed the same reader hardware at every touchpoint; but that becomes impractical among the many available options of service and product providers on the market today.
It’s much easier to make one user identity – the credential – functional across those many services and amenities. A custom encryption key can be shared between the manufacturer’s reader and the user’s credential to enable them to function together without the need for hardware parity.
3. Improved Customer Trust and Competitive Advantage
Security is a top priority for organizations investing in access control systems. Demonstrating a commitment to best practices, including the use of custom encryption keys, reassures customers that their security needs are taken seriously.
For integrators, understanding how custom encryption works demonstrates a focus on enhanced security and can serve as a powerful differentiator in a competitive market. Customers are more likely to choose partners who prioritize advanced encryption and proactive risk mitigation. Additionally, custom encryption keys aid in reducing the likelihood of costly security incidents while protecting both the customer’s assets and the integrator’s reputation.
4. Seamless Integration with Modern Technologies
Access control is no longer limited to physical cards or badges. Mobile credentials, biometric authentication, and cloud-based management platforms are becoming standard components of modern security ecosystems. Custom encryption keys are essential to securing these technologies, helping to ensure that data exchanged between devices and systems remains confidential.
Organizations who leverage custom keys can build scalable, flexible solutions that accommodate evolving ecosystem and security needs. For example, mobile credentials protected by unique encryption keys can be issued and revoked remotely, enhancing convenience without sacrificing security.
5. Operational Efficiency and Savings
With the flexibility and interoperability of custom encryption keys comes the opportunity for significant cost savings for the organization as ecosystem needs change and grow. Eliminating vendor or manufacturer lock-in ensures the freedom to choose both what, and when, to add a new facet to the ecosystem.
Custom encryption keys prevent the need for costly rip-and-replace scenarios when changing vendors or manufacturers since the encryption layer remains consistent across platforms.
Along these lines, this approach also provides predictable scaling costs. Being able to purchase off-the-shelf solutions without bespoke hardware modifications or laborious licensing agreements results in a more flexible, cost-effective infrastructure that adapts to changing technology needs at the scale and speed dictated by the organization and their integrator.
