Identification Systems Group

5 Best Practices for Healthcare Visitor Identification If you’re involved in security within a healthcare facility, you’re responsible for the safety of all people within the building – visitors, employees, and patients. Balancing the wants and needs of these parties in a healthcare facility can be difficult, especially when attempting to create a secure and welcoming site. Visibly identifying all visitors is extremely important in creating a safer hospital campus. It allows staff and patients to know who is allowed onsite with just a glance, creating a secure environment for staff to care for patients. The ISG has been a leader in healthcare identification for over 40 years, including visitor identification. Below are some healthcare visitor identification best practices to help support your safety goals while also keeping the visitor check-in process both efficient and welcoming. Read more at the ISG: https://t.ly/XYK28 #PDC #healthcare #visitormanagement

The Biometric Influence on Medical Data Security The US healthcare system is rapidly digitizing. As the healthcare sector increasingly relies on electronic health records, telemedicine and interconnected medical devices, the vulnerability of sensitive medical information to breaches and unauthorized access has grown exponentially. With its cutting-edge technology and unique identifiers, biometrics has become a powerful tool for strengthening medical data security. The Important Role of Biometrics Biometrics is the science of measuring and analyzing individuals’ unique physical or behavioral characteristics. These characteristics include fingerprints, facial features, iris patterns, voice and DNA. Biometric authentication relies on the distinctiveness of these traits to verify a person’s identity, making it a robust and reliable method for enhancing security across various sectors, including healthcare. The Vulnerability of Medical Data Medical data, encompassing patients’ records, diagnoses, treatment plans and other sensitive information, is a prime target for cybercriminals. These data breaches jeopardize individual privacy and can have other far-reaching consequences, like identity theft, insurance fraud and even the potential compromise of patient care. Read more at the ISG: https://t.ly/xMiMO #RightPatient #medicaldata #biometricsecurity

YMCKOO – A Double Layer for Double Protection The YMCKOO color ribbon is a popular ribbon choice for card printers used in various industries, such as healthcare, finance, hospitality and more. It is designed to print full-color images, text and graphics on PVC cards, with added protection. What is a YMCKOO Ribbon? A YMCKOO color ribbon is a five-panel color ribbon designed for dye-sublimation printers. The letters YMCKOO stand for Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black (K), Overlay and Overlay. These panels are arranged in a specific order, each contributing to the final image. The first three panels (Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan) mix to produce a wide range of colors. The fourth panel (Black or “K”) is used for text and fine lines. The “K” refers to an old industry term for “Key” meaning it is the layer providing the most detail or the outline of the print, which in traditional printing was usually a black ink layer. The two Overlay panels provide a protective layer over the entire image, making it more durable and resistant to fading and scratches. Read the rest here: https://t.ly/ae0q_ #BadgePass #IDCardPrinters #IDCardPrinting

Read This Before Migrating to Mobile Credentials What is a Mobile Credential? A mobile credential is a digital representation of a user’s identity. It is usually stored on a smartphone or mobile device in the form of an encrypted ID number. Depending on the system setup, it may be stored in a dedicated access control app or a mobile wallet, such as Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. Within an access control context, mobile credentials work similarly to a radio-frequency identification (RFID) card or physical token—in fact, a mobile credential may be considered a card emulator. Instead of carrying a separate card or fob, the user simply presents his or her smartphone or smartwatch near the reader for instant, contactless access. The smartphone sends the identification to the RFID reader wirelessly using Near-field Communication (NFC) or Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) technology. Both of these technologies are available in virtually all smartphones sold today. • NFC works at short range (within a few centimeters) and operates at 13.56 MHz, the same frequency used by HF RFID cards. This makes NFC largely identical in operation to card technologies. • BLE operates at the 2.4 GHz frequency and supports communication ranges of up to 100 meters. Read the rest at the ISG: https://t.ly/NOZb9 #MobileCredentials #MobileAccess #ELATEC

Are Keycards Still Sufficient for Campus Security? According to a recent Verkadas survey, 40 percent of workers say they are more concerned about personal safety at work than they were just a year ago. Safety concerns are leading many organizations to reconsider their physical access control systems – specifically, understanding if they are still sufficient or effective as they are currently implemented. As most of us know, a physical access control system allows organizations to manage who enters a physical space. Doors and locks are the most basic form of physical access control. Traditionally, these have relied on keycards and fobs incorporated into electronic systems, which then allow designated people to enter protected areas at specific access control points. However, keycards and fobs aren’t perfect, dupe-proof systems, due to the fact that they’re not bound to an individual. It is all too easy for someone to give or loan their keycard or fob to someone else, or for this type of credential to be stolen, allowing access to unauthorized individuals. Read the rest at the ISG: https://t.ly/xcC-M #campussafety #campussecurity #accesscontrol

3 Ways to Enhance Data Center Security The physical security of a data center environment is a critical component in maintaining the trust of clients who rely on these facilities to protect sensitive information. With personal data being processed at record levels and the growth of cloud computing fueling our new normal, it’s more important than ever to ensure a cohesive approach to securing access to customer PII (Personally Identifiable Information). Data center providers are entrusted with protecting their assets and customers from a business, moral, and legal standpoint. Numerous compliance mandates exist to guide how security should be approached in protecting data center facilities across various industries. This blog will dive into key compliance frameworks and guidelines, illustrating their importance in safeguarding customer data in the data center industry. Data Center Key Compliance Frameworks 1) PCI DSS for the Financial Industry The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) governs the physical security and access control measures required for areas processing sensitive cardholder payment data. This includes data centers and customer contact centers where customer payment information is stored, handled, or processed. Read the rest at the ISG: https://t.ly/TUfKI #bioconnect #datacenters #physicalsecurity

7 Reasons Why Visitor Management is Crucial for Healthcare A comprehensive visitor management system is a visitor tracking solution that can help your healthcare facility run more efficiently, enabling you to keep track of patient visits, manage access to restricted areas, and reduce the risk of unwanted intrusions at your hospital or clinic. Implementing a visitor management system allows for easier identification of visitors and can help ensure that only authorized individuals are granted access to your facility. The reasons for implementing an effective visitor management system include, but are not limited to: 1) Assisting with the Flow of Traffic When visitors to a healthcare facility are guided through an orderly process, it ensures that they will not overcrowd or hinder other patients’ access to care. By creating clear check-in procedures and ensuring that only authorized people are allowed in the patient’s room, a visitor management system allows you to keep your patients safe from infection by ensuring that each person comes into contact with others only when necessary—and this goes for both staff and visitors! It also makes it easy for you to ensure confidentiality for your patients and their families—a vital part of patient care that often gets overlooked because it’s not always directly related to medical treatment itself (though it should be!). Read the rest at the ISG: https://t.ly/XhWxN #Higgins #VisitorManagement #Healthcare

10 Considerations for Physical Access Control (PAC) Setting up the ideal physical access control (PAC) solution involves many decisions: selecting the appropriate access technology, determining the scope of applications that will be covered, and addressing user requirements and security concerns. Here are ten things to consider when designing a PAC system for your organization. 1. Scope & Applications The first step in designing a PAC solution is defining the scope of locations, systems and applications that will be covered. That may include exterior and interior doors, gates and turnstiles, cabinets and lockers, and physical assets such as production machinery, vending machines, medical or laboratory devices, and more. It may also be desirable to unify physical and logical access with a system that also covers computers, printers and login to business systems and applications. 2. Access Technology Physical access no longer means just mechanical keys. Modern PAC systems typically rely on technologies such as Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) or smartphone-based access credentials using Near-Field Communication (NFC) or Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE). Consider whether physical ID cards or mobile credentials work best for the intended user base. A universal reader can easily accommodate both. Read more at the ISG: https://t.ly/t7fuY #Elatec #PhysicalSecurity #PhysicalAccess

The Pros & Cons of School Mobile Credentials Mobile credentials, or the use of smartphones or other mobile devices to access secure areas, are increasingly considered as an alternative to traditional keycards and ID badges in schools. However, while mobile credentials offer several advantages, such as convenience and cost savings, there are also potential drawbacks to their use. To help aid schools in improving safety measures, let us explore the pros and cons of using mobile credentials for school safety and explain why it is important to always have multiple options in place. The Pros 1. Convenience. One of the biggest advantages of using mobile credentials is the convenience they offer. With mobile credentials, students, staff, and visitors can use their smartphones or other mobile devices to access secure areas instead of carrying around a keycard or access badge. 2. Cost Savings. Another potential benefit of mobile credentials is cost savings. Traditional keycards and access badges can be expensive to purchase and replace, whereas mobile credentials can be issued and revoked remotely, eliminating the need for physical cards altogether. Read the rest at the ISG: https://t.ly/7lw7l #CampusSecurityToday #MobileCredentials #SchoolAccess

6 Ways to Ensure Biometric Compliance Biometric data is emerging as a vital tool for identity verification and security. Whether it’s fingerprints, facial authentication, or voice patterns, biometric data is transforming the way organizations secure and manage information. However, with its rise comes stringent regulations aimed at protecting personal privacy. For data privacy experts and security professionals, ensuring compliance with these regulations is paramount. Here are six practical strategies to help you stay compliant and protect your organization from potential legal pitfalls. 1. Understanding Applicable Laws & Regulations The first step to compliance is understanding the landscape of biometric data regulations. Key laws include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S., and Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Each law has unique requirements and definitions of biometric data, so it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the localized and specific regulations that apply to your organization. Consult legal experts specializing in data privacy in the regions your organization is representative to ensure a thorough understanding of the relevant laws. Regularly review regulatory updates to stay informed about any changes. Read the rest at the ISG: https://t.ly/uTEOs #BioConnect #Biometrics #Compliance