Ethical Hacking: Techniques, Tools, and Countermeasures, 4th Edition

Physical Access Controls

A physical access control is any mechanism by which an individual can be granted or denied physical access. One of the oldest forms of access control is the mechanical lock. Other types of physical access controls include ID badges, tokens, and biometrics.

Locks

Locks, which come in many types, sizes, and shapes, are an effective means of physical access control. They are by far the most widely implemented security control largely because of the wide range of options available as well as the low cost of the devices.

Lock types include the following:

• Mechanical—Warded and pin and tumbler

• Cipher—Smart and programmable

Warded locks are the simplest form of mechanical lock. The design of mechanical locks uses a series ...