Yogesh Ailawadi, Senior Vice President of Product and Solutions at AlertEnterprise explores the rise of secure mobile credentials.

Access control

In a world where convenience is king and innovation is constant, the way we access our workplaces, homes and other secure locations is undergoing a revolutionary transformation.

The days of fumbling through a stack of plastic cards to gain entry are swiftly fading into the past, making way for the sleek and seamless world of mobile credentials.

This shift, particularly toward NFC (near field communication) wallets, is not only changing the way we interact with our environments but is rapidly becoming a mainstream demand, driven by a growing number of customers who are ready to embrace the future of access control.

Convenience

Thanks to the advent of mobile credentials, the standard for convenience has skyrocketed.

Imagine a scenario where your smartphone becomes your all-in-one access key, storing a digital representation of your identity securely within its digital confines.

With just a simple tap or wave near a reader, your NFC-enabled phone communicates seamlessly with the access control system, granting or denying entry based on your credentials.

The transition from plastic cards to the sleek elegance of mobile credentials has made life smoother and more efficient.

However, it’s not just about the end-user experience.

The journey to mobile credentials involves complex behind-the-scenes orchestration that ensures not only a seamless experience but also robust security and governance at scale — particularly as it relates to managing today’s hybrid and distributed workforce.

This is where a cyber-physical, software-first approach to access governance and credentials comes into play.

It manages everything from the provisioning of credentials to the granting or revoking of access in real-time, all at the speed of business.

The beauty lies in the automation and streamlining that happens both in the front end — where users enjoy a frictionless mobile experience — and in the back end, where security operators can manage and monitor the entire access ecosystem with ease.

Protecting against threats

Speaking of security operators, simplifying their role is a crucial aspect of this transformation.

With the rise of mobile credentials, security practitioners are faced with the challenge of managing an ever-expanding digital landscape while ensuring robust protection against potential threats.

The unified platform acts as a bridge that seamlessly connects mobile credential systems, IT systems, Single Sign On (SSO) systems, mobile credential providers and managers to PACS and access control mechanisms.

It’s a critical and overlooked cog in the wheel that empowers security practitioners to manage and control access at scale — without compromising security.

The measure at which a unified NFC wallet mobile credential platform can operate is truly staggering.

The ability to take full control of the user experience on-demand, be it hundreds of thousands of visitors, contractors or employees at a local, regional and global level, highlights the scalability that mobile credentials bring to the table.

No longer are we constrained by physical limitations, nor do we need to compromise on security or efficiency.

This newfound scalability enhances flexibility and adaptability, a necessity in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing environments.

To add to that, the solution leverages your current investments — yes, even if you have disparate systems from multiple providers — without requiring any rip and replace.

The plastic cards of the past are fading away, replaced by the elegance and efficiency of mobile credentials — a trend that’s not just a passing fad but a new era in access control that’s here to stay. Find out more about transforming access control across your enterprise.

Whether you want to go big, start small or scale quickly, we’ll get you on the right path in no time.