With the rise of hybrid work environments, interconnected devices, and mobile-first strategies, cyber attacks have quickly become one of the most significant threats to modern businesses. The risk of cyberattacks has grown exponentially, The BCI Update Series: Cyber Resilience Report 2024 stated that 75% of respondents reported a rise in attempted cyber breaches, with 39.4% falling victim to a successful attack. It is also believed that the global cost of cyber crime is going to reach $10.5 trillion annually in 2025, according to SentinelOne. A single breach can result in unauthorized access, compromised data, and produce significant financial and reputational damage.
Enterprise reliance on cybersecurity in access control
As enterprises adopt cloud-based mobile access control solutions, the need for robust cybersecurity has become a critical priority. Access control systems are a gateway to enterprise environments and their data. Breaches can compromise not just physical security but also an organization’s digital infrastructure and IT network. Lost or compromised devices, unencrypted communication, and vulnerable infrastructure can expose enterprises to significant threats. Mobile credentials, while convenient, present unique risks. To address these risks, adherence to global cybersecurity standards such as those established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is essential. These guidelines ensure the use of encryption, secure communication protocols, and robust identity verification methods. For enterprises, choosing access control systems that meet or exceed these standards is a necessary step toward safeguarding their assets in an increasingly interconnected world.
Mobile access innovation with cybersecurity in mind
Sentry Interactive has taken a revolutionary step to merge convenience with cybersecurity in the most cost-efficient way. Their readerless mobile credential software-only solution, designed by software engineers with expertise in the banking sector, reimagines NFC mobile access by flipping traditional mobile access control on its head.
Sentry Interactive’s solution replaces traditional reader and card architecture with a fast, secure, and cost-effective approach to NFC mobile access. The user’s smartphone becomes the primary NFC authentication device, the new mobile reader, leveraging banking-grade encryption and secure communication protocols, as well as the credential. The smartphone is paired with a Smart Access Tile, a passive NFC door tag applied next to the door, requiring no disruption to infrastructure and no electronic or plastic waste.
Instead of expensive and vulnerable hardware upgrades that can be hard to scale, Sentry Interactive’s mobile credential security always stays up-to-date in the same way that your mobile phone’s OS software does. This is the way Sentry Interactive have been able to align their NFC mobile credential software with NIST cybersecurity standards. By adhering to NIST’s strict guidelines, Sentry Interactive’s cloud software ensures end-to-end encryption, secure data handling, and robust authentication measures that protect against vulnerabilities that have been exposed with proximity card systems and Bluetooth or BLE systems.
Sentry Interactive’s additional cloud security features include:
- All data encrypted at rest
- SSL Pinning
- Horizontal scaling cloud to mitigate Denial of Service (DoS)
- GPS Geofencing, IP, and time restrictions
A paradigm shift for the future of mobile access
Sentry Interactive’s innovative solution represents a true game-changer in mobile credential provisioning. By eliminating reliance on traditional readers and aligning their software that adheres to NIST cybersecurity standards, Sentry Interactive provides SMBs and Enterprises with a solution that prioritizes security, convenience, and low total cost of ownership. This forward-thinking approach enables commercial building owners, universities or healthcare facilities and their tenants, students or staff to embrace the benefits of NFC mobile access without compromising their security posture.
As mobile access adoption accelerates, the importance of NIST compliant cybersecurity will only grow. Sentry Interactive’s readerless and security-focused platform sets a new benchmark for the access control industry and mobile access, ensuring that enterprises are prepared to face the challenges of an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
If you are an OEM that would like to offer customers a fast and easy software-only deployment of secure mobile credentials, get in touch with us today.
