Nikki Williams, North American Regional Marketing Manager, ICT (Integrated Control Technology) discusses the basics and benefits of mobile credential technology.

Opening doors

Access control has always been an essential element to any complete security solution, but as the world becomes more smartphone-centric, expectations continue to shift towards the convenience of more mobile-focused solutions.

In access control we’ve seen this shift through the rise in demand for mobile credentials.

As smartphones reach mass adoption with “98% of Americans owning cellphones, 91% of them being smart phones” (Pew Research Center, 2024) and technologies such as Bluetooth and NFC (Near Field Communication) improve, this trend will only continue.

In fact, “80% of American universities and colleges are already using, planning for, or asking for mobile credentials over the next few years” (NACCU Technology Research Committee, 2021).

What are mobile credentials?

Mobile credentials are virtual access credentials stored on smartphones that enable users to enter a secure area using NFC or Bluetooth technology, eliminating the need for physical access cards or fobs.

This simple, card-free convenience means no more forgotten cards or fobs.

Some more modern access control systems will even allow you to customize the read range, so that you don’t even need to take your phone out of your pocket to gain access.

Mobile credentials benefits

The convenience of security access on mobile phones seems to be quickly becoming a standard expectation from end-users, but mobile credentials offer much more than the simple convenience of not losing an access card.

Security dealers and integrators are choosing and recommending mobile credentials for several shared benefits.

Mobile credentials offer reduced risk of loss, enhanced security, cost savings, environmental sustainability and serve as a gateway to evolving technology now and in the future.

Reduced risk of loss

One of the greatest security risks with access cards is that they’re easily lost.

A 2019 study of physical security trends in America found that one in five people had lost their access card or fob in the last year.

If these losses go unnoticed or unreported, it doesn’t matter how smart the card is, it can still be used to gain access if it were to fall into the wrong hands.

If you have a company logo on the card/lanyard, whoever finds it knows exactly where to go.

However, a lost phone is easily noticeable and will be reported right away.

You can then immediately disable the credential remotely.

Enhanced security

Mobile credentials deliver several layers of protection that greatly surpass the capabilities of traditional access cards and fobs.

Enhanced security features include:

• AES-256 encryption: AES-256 encryption is one of the most secure encryption standards with an extremely strong framework shielding against data theft and credential cloning
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Smartphones often feature built-in MFA technologies such as PIN codes, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition. Even if a phone is lost or stolen, it’s unlikely that a malicious user could bypass these security measures
• Remote disabling of access: Mobile credentials can be quickly revoked or temporarily disabled via cloud-based management systems, ensuring compromised devices no longer pose a threat
• Mitigating credential sharing risks: Credential sharing is a persistent issue with physical access cards. Employees or tenants may lend cards to unauthorized people, leading to a breakdown in access control policies. Mobile credentials address this challenge by eliminating the ease of sharing. Fewer users are willing to lend their smartphones, especially with layers of authentication safeguarding their data. Furthermore, integrators can limit credentials to specific devices, preventing unauthorized forwarding or duplication

Cost savings

The expense of printing, maintaining and replacing lost cards and fobs can add up over time.

Using mobile credentials does not require this type of maintenance or replacement.

Environmental sustainability

Plastic access cards contribute to global plastic waste.

Frequently lost or discarded cards are replaced with new ones.

Although not substantial, this plastic waste does perpetuate the cycle. Mobile credentials eliminate this waste altogether.

A gateway to more

Imagine mobile credentials only being the beginning, laying the groundwork for more streamlined and unified security solutions overall.

Building automation

Building automation can mean convenience and cost savings.

For instance, in a modern workplace, mobile credentials could grant employees entry to the building, turn on their office lights, adjust the climate to their preferred temperature and even queue up their morning playlist on a connected speaker system.

This level of automation doesn’t just improve convenience – it also enhances energy efficiency.

Systems can respond dynamically to occupancy, switching off devices in empty rooms or optimizing building performance based on real-time data.

Or consider the time savings of not having to staff a co-working space office.

An employee would no longer be required to wait for someone to show up for their booking.

They could simply email them their credentials ahead of time.

With building automation in place, the guest could scan their credentials to not only access the co-working space, but their assigned office lights could turn on, the office temperature could be set as specified ahead of time, they could be given access to certain break areas and restrooms throughout the building in their allotted reservation time and more.

Mobile credentials are uniquely positioned to be the connective tissue in the ever-evolving building automation world.

Integrate and innovate

Technical integration partners are taking mobile credential technology to the next level.

By leveraging Mobile SDKs (Software Development Kits) and API functions, they bring mobile credentials and security solutions into their own cloud-based ecosystems to streamline their solutions.

These innovative approaches are becoming more popular, so much so that “an estimated 90% of wireless locks sold today are able to integrate with smart systems” (Perplexity, 2024).

Co-Founder and President of Mosino One, Zeeshan Butt, shared that “our integration extends functionality so that users can operate in a common ecosystem.

For example by doing this [in their multifamily application] the access control system allows us to assign access to a housekeeping company to come on Monday and Friday from nine until 11.

And on the other hand, linking mobile credentials with other data in our system we can also automatically create and issue the mobile credential for a new resident as soon as the lease is electronically signed in our platform.”

Adding these integration features to the mobile credentials improves customer onboarding and keeps things simple so there’s no need to jump around multiple apps.

Future development

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, improvements around usability and convenience will most likely continue to take priority as mobile credentials continue to progress.

Jacob Pearson, Product Manager for Mobile at ICT (Integrated Control Technology) expects that “protocols in development like Aliro from the Connectivity Standards Alliance, will see standardized communication between devices and readers.

Having a mobile credential standard that’s backed by a lot of industry players will only lead to a better user experience.

Other advancements like using digital IDs built into smartphones mean any device can have a mobile credential attached without using an app.”

Overall, “mobile credentials are becoming more and more ubiquitous in the security industry and will only continue to grow in popularity,” said Pat Alvaro, Senior Vice President – Canada, ICT (Integrated Control Technology).

“The use cases only continue to grow and they’re getting more exciting and creative with higher levels of security and growing access control convenience.”

Although dealers and integrators may start by offering mobile credentials for convenience, they’re opening a gateway to quickly evolving app and mobile driven technologies in the security industry.

This article was originally published in the special February Influencers Edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.