Access Controls
Description
Access controls are designed to allow or deny the use of certain resources/privileges to a predetermined group of people. The access controls help to manage or control the physical resources, digital resources or logical resources. Access control system helps to prevent unauthorized access and thereby ensuring safety and security. Different types of access controls are available using various technologies to meet the different applications.
Types
Major types of access controls are listed below:
Physical access controls
Physical access controls are considered for restricting the entry of persons or vehicles inside the buildings by means of various technologies like magnetic stripe, bar code, proximity, contact or contact less smart cards, etc. They also involve biometric technology by identifying physical characteristics like face and iris recognition, fingerprint identification, hand geometry, voice analysis, etc. to control the access. Some of the examples include:
Door access controls
Card access controls
Proximity access controls
Smart card access controls
Biometric access controls
Logical access controls
Logical access controls are designed to limit the access to computer related software or other data files. Logical access controls are in-built with the operating system, or can be a component of the application programs like database management systems. They are used to permit or deny access by particular persons to a particular data/information in a specific access form/type. Some of the examples include:
System access controls
Network access controls
Data access controls
Applications
Access controls find their application in manufacturing industries, factories, offices, retail stores, laboratories, educational institutions, houses, etc. to prevent the illegal entry of person into the premises. Access controls are also used to control important network components like servers, workstations, websites, network services, etc. Logical access controls are used in banks and ATM centers, IT companies, and business centers to control the access of computer based documents, which are not open to all users.