Protect your building access
Sometime or another you may have a key or access card to gain access to a building. Whether it is the building you work in, your apartment, or the building you attend classes, the key or card authorizes you to get into the building. Have you ever swiped your access card and let someone behind you in as a courtesy? Has anyone ever slipped in behind you before the door closed? Both of these are breaches of building security and they are usually overlooked.
Tailgating
John has an access card he swipes to enter his office building. The building is locked because it has expensive equipment and there is sensitive information for authorized personnel only. One morning, John is running late and quickly swipes his card without noticing someone standing by the door. As John rushes in this unauthorized person slips in the door without John’s consent. This is an example of tailgating where an unauthorized person was able to access the building using an authorized person’s access. Be mindful of your surroundings as you enter buildings. Report anyone who is suspicious.
Piggybacking
Jan and Mike both work for the same company and they each have cards to gain access into the office building. One morning as Jane is heading to the door she notices Mike with several boxes of doughnuts in his hands. She swipes her card and holds the door open for Mike. She is just being helpful right? But what if Mike was just terminated and no longer has access to the building? Even if he still has access there will be no record that he entered the building because his card was never swiped. Instead, Jane could have swiped her card and held the doughnuts for Mike while he swiped his own card. We want to be helpful and friendly but we need to be careful not to let someone in who does not have the appropriate access.
We can all do our part to help protect building access. Do not hold the door for anyone you do not know and if you know them ask them to use their own access to get into the building for security purposes. Also, if you see a door that has been propped open contact security or close it yourself.
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