Different Employee Identification Techniques

Identification Methods

In a physical security system, there are a number of different ways to identify employees for the purpose of granting them different levels of access to parts of a facility. In many instances, a combination of methods will be used for maximum effectiveness. Passcards are usually one of the lowest levels of identification. They are easy to create and implement, but they have a key weakness in that they are transferrable. As such, a passcard offers only the lowest level of security.

Because of this, security professionals look at things that are unique to an individual, but are not transferable. This typically involves some form of biometrics -- retina scans, iris texture scans, fingerprints, facial recognition, voice recognition or even the shape of your ear (Moren, 2014). Things like body shape and gait recognition have also been explored, as a means of identifying a person based on what are presumed to be unique traits (Boulgouris et al., 2005). There have also been attempts to utilize things like handwriting analysis as a means of biometric analysis, based on analysis of texture (Zhu, Tan and Wang, 2000).

Retina and fingerprint scans are among the more common biometric methodologies in use, however. Both are long-established technologies that are relatively cheap, and relatively foolproof. They are not entirely foolproof, however, which is why many companies prefer to utilize more than one method, such as combining a swipe card with a retina scan, or using multiple biometric methods.