Re: References for Brivo Systems Door Access Controls?

["Will" <westes-usc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"J." <jsloud2001donospam@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ao2d82dubpv7rmtt1ns1ecj56ufog2ilp4@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Tue, 6 Jun 2006 22:55:26 -0700, "Will" <westes-usc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
>
> >That's a shame that Brivo appears to have no option to run their control
> >software on the customer's computer.   I don't like the security
> >implications of the administration tool running on their computer.   What
> >happens when someone steals my userid and password?   What happens when
they
> >go out of business?    How does Brivo uplink the access panel to their
> >computers?    The panel is Internet connected and they connect to it
> >directly?
>
> I believe they have redundant servers at two separate locations - east
> coast and west coast, maybe?  They'll claim this is more secure
> because they have much better security at their server sites than
> would a typical end-user with a local database housed on a box on the
> receptionists desk.  With any remotely accessible system, you run the
> risk of someone with your login and password compromising the system,
> although with most systems you would also need the client side
> software to be able to communicate.  As far as them going out of
> business, you'd have to find some access control panels and some
> software to replace Brivo with should this happen.  Their systems use
> standard HID card readers.

If the Internet security is under my control, I can put the panel on a
separate network attached to a computer whose access requires both a
userid/password as well as a cipher code that is randomized (see
http://www.safeword.com for an example).   The CIA could get in, but your
average kiddy hacker wouldn't have a chance.

About 40% of all home computers (and quite a large number of business ones
too) have keystroke sniffing programs installed (e.g., Trojan Horses) and I
don't think userids or passwords can be made secure any more.

--
Will