5 Common Access Control Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Your access control system is supposed to be your facility's gatekeeper—the digital bouncer that decides who gets in and who stays out. But here's the uncomfortable truth: most access control failures aren't caused by technology breaking down; they're caused by how the system is implemented and managed.

Over the past decade installing access control systems across Southern California, we've walked into facilities where former employees still have active credentials months after termination, where a single lost key card could compromise an entire building, and where access logs and security camera footage exist in completely separate universes.

These aren't rare edge cases—they're common mistakes that put businesses at risk every single day. Let's fix that.

Mistake #1: Neglecting Regular User Access Reviews

The Problem: Sarah from accounting transferred to a different department three months ago. Her badge still opens the server room. Jake, the contractor who installed your network cabling last year? His temporary access code is still active. That sales rep who left on not-so-great terms? Still has credentials to enter after hours.

This is the #1 access control vulnerability we encounter during security audits. Organizations implement robust systems but fail to maintain them. Permissions accumulate like digital clutter, and before long, you have dozens—sometimes hundreds—of active credentials that shouldn't exist.

The Solution:

• Implement quarterly access audits where department managers review and verify all active credentials
• Automate deprovisioning workflows that trigger when HR marks an employee as terminated in your system
• Set up dormancy alerts for credentials unused for 60+ days
• Require annual recertification for high-privilege access (server rooms, safes, executive areas)
• Tag contractor and temporary credentials with automatic expiration dates

Modern cloud-based systems like Verkada, Brivo, and Keri make these audits dramatically easier with visual dashboards, automated reports, and integration with HR systems. If you're still managing access through spreadsheets or manual processes, you're fighting an uphill battle.

Mistake #2: Relying on Single-Factor Authentication

The Problem: Key cards are lost in parking lots. PIN codes are written on sticky notes. Proximity badges are borrowed between coworkers. When your entire security posture relies on a single authentication factor—"something you have"—you're one lost wallet away from a security breach.

Single-factor authentication made sense in 1995. In 2025, when you can unlock your iPhone with your face and authorize bank transfers with a fingerprint, there's no excuse for protecting your physical facility with less security than a smartphone.

The Solution: Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Layer your security by combining multiple authentication factors:

• Something you have: Key card, mobile credential, or proximity badge
• Something you know: PIN code or password
• Something you are: Fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scan

You don't need to implement this everywhere—context matters. Consider this tiered approach:

• Low-security areas (break rooms, general office space): Single-factor card access
• Medium-security areas (IT closets, storage rooms): Card + PIN
• High-security areas (server rooms, safes, executive suites): Card + PIN + biometrics

Bonus tip: Mobile credentials (using smartphones as access badges) offer the best of both worlds—convenient for users and more secure than physical cards since phones have built-in security features and are less likely to be shared.

Mistake #3: Running Access Control in Isolation from Video Surveillance

The Problem: Your access system says badge #247 entered the warehouse at 2:17 AM. Your security cameras recorded what happened at the warehouse at 2:17 AM. But connecting these two pieces of information requires manually scrubbing through hours of footage, cross-referencing timestamps, and hoping the clocks on both systems are properly synchronized.

When access control and video surveillance operate as separate islands, you're missing the most powerful security insight: visual verification of access events.

The Solution: Choose Integrated Platforms

Modern security platforms automatically link access events with video footage. When someone badges in, the system:

• Captures video from the door camera
• Associates the footage with the access event
• Creates a searchable record you can review in seconds
• Enables alerts for mismatches (e.g., male employee uses female colleague's badge)

What to look for:

• Single-pane-of-glass management (one dashboard for all security systems)
• Automatic video bookmarking for access events
• Facial recognition to verify badge holder identity
• Unified search across access logs and video archives

Mistake #4: Underestimating the Human Factor (Tailgating)

The Problem: You've installed a $50,000 enterprise access control system. Every entry point is secured with card readers and electronic locks. Your audit logs are immaculate.

And then someone holds the door open for the person behind them.

Tailgating (following an authorized person through a secure entry) and piggybacking (entering with an authorized person's consent) are the achilles heel of physical security. They're hard to prevent because they exploit human nature—holding doors is polite. Challenging strangers feels awkward.

The Solution: Technology + Culture

You can't solve this with technology alone. You need a combination of:

Physical Deterrents:

• Turnstiles and optical barriers for high-traffic areas
• Mantrap entries (two-door airlocks) for high-security zones
• Door position sensors that alert if a door is held open beyond the expected time

AI-Powered Detection:

• Video analytics that detect when multiple people enter on a single badge swipe
• Automated alerts sent to security staff for immediate response
• Occupancy counting to identify discrepancies between badge swipes and actual entries

Security Awareness Training:

• Educate employees on tailgating risks during onboarding
• Establish a "challenge and verify" culture where employees politely ask for credentials
• Post clear signage at entry points: "One Person Per Badge Swipe"
• Conduct periodic unannounced tests where security staff attempt to tailgate

Mistake #5: Skipping Backup and Failover Planning

The Problem: It's Monday morning. The power went out overnight. Your access control server is down. Your employees are standing outside in the parking lot, unable to enter the building. Or worse—your doors are unlocked because they default to "fail open" for fire code compliance.

Access control systems are mission-critical infrastructure. When they fail, your business stops—either locked out completely or operating with zero security.

The Solution: Build Resilience Into Your System

Power Redundancy:

• Install UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems on all access control panels
• Spec battery backups with at least 24-hour runtime for critical entry points
• Consider generator integration for facilities requiring extended operation during outages

Network Resilience:

• Choose controllers with offline functionality that continue operating during network failures
• Implement cellular backup connectivity for cloud-based systems
• Store credential databases locally at access points, not just centrally

Cloud Advantages:

• Eliminate single points of failure from on-premise servers
• Automatic system backups and updates
• Remote management capabilities during emergencies
• Built-in redundancy across multiple data centers

Emergency Procedures:

• Document manual override procedures for critical doors
• Maintain master key sets in secure, accessible locations
• Train security staff on emergency access protocols
• Conduct annual failover testing to verify backup systems work

Taking Action: Your Next Steps

Access control done right is invisible—doors open for the right people at the right times, security events are logged automatically, and incidents are rare because prevention is working. Access control done wrong shows up as missing inventory, compliance violations, and that stomach-dropping feeling when you realize a terminated employee still has building access.

Here's your action plan:

1. Audit your current system this week. Pull a report of all active credentials and cross-reference against your current employee roster. You'll likely find surprises.
2. Test your backup systems. Simulate a power outage or network failure and verify your access control continues operating as expected.
3. Evaluate your authentication strength. Map your facility into security zones and determine where multi-factor authentication makes sense.
4. Review video surveillance integration. Can you instantly pull video footage for any access event? If it takes more than 30 seconds, you need better integration.
5. Schedule employee training. The best technology fails when human behavior undermines it. Make security awareness part of your culture.

Remember: security is not a one-time implementation project—it's an ongoing operational practice. The facilities with the strongest security aren't necessarily the ones with the most expensive systems; they're the ones that actively manage, test, and improve their systems over time.

Need help evaluating your current access control setup or planning an upgrade?Schedule a complimentary security assessment. We'll audit your existing system, identify vulnerabilities, and provide specific recommendations for strengthening your facility's security posture—at no cost and with zero pressure to buy.