Issue link: https://securitytechnologyexecutive.epubxp.com/i/656764
28 SECURITY TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE • February/March 2016 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com M ACCESS CONTROL any large public universities are undergoing rapid expansion on a limited budget. T hey find themselves enrolling significantly more students , constr ucting ne w facilities and residential halls, and launching new ser vices while still using outdated and vulnerable cam- pus ID card systems with limited capabilities. To solve this problem and ensure their cam- puses remain safe and secure, universities are increasingly adopting a phased approach to replacing legacy technolog y with "One Card" solutions that provide better security and more efficient end-to-end issuance capabilities and connect card holders to new services and campus departments with a path to additional capabilities over time. The Long Magstripe Legacy Many universities have been using ID cards with legacy magnetic swipe technolog y for a decade or more. These cards wear out quickly and rely on a security technology that lacks the cryptographic capabilities of smart cards, mak- ing them susceptible to cloning and counter- feiting. In contrast, the latest smart card tech- nologies provide significantly greater security and flexibility, and can be rolled out incremen- tally as budgets permit with an infrastructure that still supports the legacy cards. Upgrading to a Smart "One Card" Student ID Multi-technology cards provide myriad options for campus security, facility administrators by Brett St. Pierre F l e x i b i l i t y i s a p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t consideration for moving away from mag- stripe technology. One security director at a leading east coast university pointed to the increasingly diverse access control and secu- rity needs of all of the university 's depart- ments and ser vice operators. Demand was growing , campus-wide, for a single ID card that could be used to securely pay for meals, che ck out b o ok s in the librar y, che ck in and out of the g ym, pay for parking, access facilities, and much more. T hey wanted a "One Card" environment in which a single system would allow campus IDs card to be used for many different needs, eliminating the requirement to carry multiple cards -- or cash -- for a variety of activities, ser vices, and purchases. Moving to contactless smart card technol- ogy delivers this One Card simplicity. It also lays the foundation for meeting the needs and expectations of today's very technology-savvy generation of students. For administrators, it enables greater campus security along with improved efficiency and convenience in the form of a flexible solution that ensures cam- pus IDs can be used with not only with access control systems but also for other value-added applications and services on and off campus.