Proximity cards are contactless integrated circuit cards that are used to access a secure area or network. The increased security of these cards make them imperative in the operations of many organizations with confidential areas and databases of personal information.

Although technology can provide a high level of security. The cards will not, within themselves, provide complete security without proper policies and procedures implemented throughout the organization.

HID corporation recommends implementing the following procedures with the use of prox cards to maximize security and eliminate the possibility of cloning the cards for improper uses.

1. Require immediate reporting of lost or stolen cards (so they can be deleted from the system)
2. Prohibit sharing or lending of cards
3. Encourage employees to shield their cards from public view when not at work (this makes sense from a privacy perspective as well if a name and picture are printed on the card)
4.  Encourage reporting of suspicious activity at the facility
5. Discourage “tailgating” where one employee uses a card to gain access and others follow without using their own cards.

HID also recommends using RFID shielding products to increase the security level of HID cards not in use.

Current Fargo printers that will allow encoding of proximity cards are the Fargo HDP5000, Fargo DTC550 and Fargo DTC400e. For information about cards that can be integrated with identification applications, visit our HID prox card page.