From the Outside In: A Smarter Approach to Vendor Access

"Unlike employees, contractors or vendors may come on site infrequently, work odd hours, or have varying access each day. Credentials may be shared, reused or distributed in an ad hoc way, with incomplete or inaccurate information about where an individual should and shouldn't go."

"Organizations are starting to question whether it might be more effective to shift their approach, working to secure their environments from the outside in. If they can better control who crosses the perimeter, security plans become simpler and more predictable throughout."

"Employees might hold doors open to be polite or speed things up, and guards often use their own judgment in busy areas. These systems sometimes assume that having a credential means someone is authorized, no matter what."

Traditional access control systems centered on employees struggle to manage the growing number of external personnel entering facilities, including vendors, contractors, and temporary workers. These non-employees often work irregular schedules, have varying daily access needs, and may share credentials, creating gaps between official policies and actual practices. Common security lapses include tailgating, door-holding, and inconsistent enforcement by guards. Organizations are reconsidering their approach by implementing perimeter-focused security strategies that control who enters facilities from the outside in, making security plans simpler and more predictable throughout the organization.

Read at Securitymagazine