HID’s 2024 State of Physical Access Control Report showcases significant market changes since the last report was issued two years ago. In partnership with IFSEC Insider, HID conducted their study from November 2023 until January 2024, distributing the survey to users through email, media outlets, social media, and internal teams. In all, more than 1,200 respondents from a wide geographical range and an array of job roles participated.
The report found that 63% of companies actively use physical ID badges, but mobile credentials are gaining traction. Nearly 40% of respondents are using mobile credentials, up 7% from 2022.
Despite the migration to advanced technologies, one in three companies still support prox and nearly 30% still have systems that utilize mag stripe cards.
Still physical ID badges remain the prevailing tool for access. The survey found:
- One in three companies still support 125-KHz low-frequency proximity cards
- Nearly 30% still have systems in place that utilize magnetic stripe technology
- First-generation contactless technologies also remain commonplace, including MIFARE Classic (19%) and HID iCLASS® (15%)
- 16% of organizations report using MIFARE DESFire EV1/EV2/EV3
- HID’s Seos card and mobile tech is used by 18% of respondents.
Similar to the rise seen in mobile access, the use of biometrics for access control also reached 40%, an increase of 9% since the last survey.
An slightly greater increase (11%) occurred in the use of logical access, spurred by the shift in workplace environments following the pandemic. Today, more than two-thirds of organizations use it.
Nearly half of all respondents cited ‘improving user convenience’ as the biggest challenge faced on a day-to-day basis. Other concerns included the ease of physical access administration, protection against the threat of security vulnerabilities, issuance and revocation of ID credentials, and integration with other enterprise systems.
This year’s study identified five overarching physical access trends.
Mobile access and digital ID set to become ubiquitous
The report showed that nearly 2 in 5 organizations are using mobile credentials. Security professionals project 80% of organizations to deploy mobile IDs within the next five years. Mobile IDs allow users to access their workplace, log billable hours and even print documents through the convenience of their ID being stored in their phone or smart watch mobile wallet.
Open standards driving smart buildings phenomenon
Trends show that the global smart building market size is predicted to increase by 4 times, and standardization allows for development of this overall market. Nearly half of survey respondents noted smart buildings and flexible workplaces as one of the top three trends shaping the access control industry. Oftentimes, building usage for utilities such as heating, lighting and power are tracked through mobile credentials throughout the day to monitor usage. Implementing access control with the feature to track these utilities allows for sustainable and cost-effective building usage.
Sustainability becoming greater influence on business decisions
Nearly two-thirds of respondents cited that sustainability is important, and employees have an influence or are fully consulted when a physical access control system is updated or installed. The move towards mobile credentials rather than physical cards allows for sustainability and convenience to work together to benefit the organization and the environment.
The rise of artificial intelligence for analytics use cases
About 40% of respondents have plans to incorporate AI learning into their access control environments, but the same percentage remains unsure of its benefits. Advances in AI are making it a more popular choice to assist with areas like video surveillance and feedback.
Growing role of biometrics – especially contactless solutions
Biometrics’ role in access control is growing rapidly. 26% stated they currently use biometrics and another 33% stated they plan to test or implement biometrics in the next five years. Fingerprint readers are used more widely in North American and European markets, but in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, there is a shift from fingerprint to facial recognition. Contactless biometrics like facial recognition, iris recognition, and touchless fingerprint options are becoming more common.
