electronic access control

The Fortified Village: A Fable of Kenton Brothers Systems for Security in the Medieval Realm

By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

Welcome to Eldoria

The Fortified Village: A Fable of Kenton Brothers Systems for Security in the Medieval RealmIn a distant medieval realm, nestled between rolling hills and dense forests, there existed a peaceful village named Eldoria. The villagers, content in their simple lives, lived in harmony with the land. However, peace is a fragile thing, and the tranquility of Eldoria was shattered when rumors of marauding bandits spread like wildfire. Travelling caravans spoke of their perils and the destruction left behind by these marauders.

These bandits, known for their cunning and ruthlessness, struck fear into the hearts of the villagers. As the threat loomed larger with each passing day, the village elders gathered to seek a solution. It was then that a wise elder, known for his sagacity, spoke of a distant land named Kansas City where Kenton Brothers Systems for Security thrived. This organization, led by the great Lady Gina of Lee’s Summit, was known across the land as the protector of the realm.

Emissaries were dispatched to seek the aid of Lady Gina and Kenton Brothers, and after a long and perilous journey, they arrived at the gates of the city to visit the renowned security experts. The village’s plight reached the ears of Lady Gina and her band of Knights. It was agreed that something must be done to help the people of Eldoria.

The emissaries returned to Eldoria with the good news.

The villagers were filled with hope as they eagerly awaited the arrival of the Kenton Brothers Knights that promised to fortify their village and repel the bandit threat. A caravan bearing the emblem of Kenton Brothers arrived in Eldoria. The villagers marveled at the advanced equipment and the skilled craftsmen who had journeyed to their humble abode.

The head of the caravan, a seasoned security expert named Sir Neal of Systems addressed the villagers.

“Fear not, good people of Eldoria, Lady Gina has heard your pleas for help. Kenton Brothers stands ready to fortify your village against the menace that plagues you,” Sir Neal proclaimed. The crowd cheered as Sir Neal dispatched the Knights of Kenton Brothers across the village to assess the current state of defenses.

Gathering that evening in the Great Tent of Engineering, the knights reported all levels of defensive capabilities and the changes need to repel the great horde of bandits quickly closing in on the village. The Eldoria leaders grew fearful as they heard the reports and understood how poorly the city was prepared for what was to come.

All Eldorian hearts were heavy until Sir Ryan of Service loudly proclaimed that there was no task too great for Kenton Brothers Systems for Security and that working together with Eldoria, great works could be done and they will be prepared to face the threat! The Eldorians were filled with confidence from the Knight’s enthusiastic statement and cheered their support! Laboring through the night, assisted by oil lamps,  Kenton Brothers and the Eldoria leaders created a plan that would preserve their village and surrounding areas.

And so, the work began.

The craftsmen from Kenton Brothers labored day and night, constructing a formidable perimeter around the village. Towering walls were erected, equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance systems that could detect the slightest movement in the surrounding forests. Access control points were installed, ensuring that only those with the villagers’ best interests at heart could enter. Village elders were trained in recognizing threats and identifying counter measures. They in turn trained other villagers on situational awareness and what steps to take to keep their crops, livestock and family safe.

As the villagers observed the transformation, a newfound sense of security enveloped Eldoria. The once fearful whispers were replaced with hopeful conversations, and the children played freely in the meadows once again.

The Bandits

The bandits, hackers, thieves and nare do wells have had an easy time raiding villages throughout the land. Running unopposed across the lands, growing rich in spoils and reputation. Many times raiding abandoned villages as the people would run away in fear the night before. The Bandits numbers growing daily as evildoers all over the realm sought out easy payoffs.

Unaware of the changes taking place in Eldoria, the bandits planned their next raid. Little did they know that Eldoria was no longer an easy target. The night they chose to strike was a dark and bitter night.

As the bandits approached under cover of darkness, they began to set off perimeter alarms. The Eldorian villagers were alerted and immediately sprang to action. Alerts were repeated and everyone assumed their given role and position on the defensive line. All of this before the bandits even knew they had been detected.

The bandits launched their first attack! The bandits encountered an impenetrable barrier – the walls of Eldoria fortified by Kenton Brothers Systems for Security. As the bandits futilely attempted to breach the village, the surveillance systems alerted the villagers and the guards stationed at strategic points. Sir Neal of Systems, leading the defense, rallied the villagers to stand united against the common enemy. The bandits, disoriented and outmatched, were forced to retreat into the darkness from whence they came.

Enraged, the leader of the bandits decided to try again by attacking the rear defenses. There stood Sir Ryan and his Eldorian defenders waiting on the bandits as the surveillance system tracked their movements through the forest. All night long, wave after wave of bandits crashed unsuccessfully against the defenses. Cheers arose at dawn’s light as the bandits scurried into the forest in defeat.

Huzzah!

Word of Eldoria’s successful defense spread far and wide, reaching the ears of neighboring villages facing similar threats. The reputation of lady Gina and Kenton Brothers Systems for Security soared, and emissaries from other realms sought their expertise to fortify their own villages against banditry and other perils.

Emboldened by their success, the villagers of Eldoria embraced their newfound security with gratitude. The partnership forged with Kenton Brothers became a symbol of hope, illustrating how advanced security solutions could safeguard even the most vulnerable communities.

As the years passed, Eldoria thrived under the watchful eyes of the Kenton Brothers and their band of Knights and craftsmen. The villagers no longer lived in constant fear, and the bandits, aware of the impenetrable defense, dared not approach the fortified village. The people of Eldoria flourished, their once humble abode transformed into a beacon of safety and prosperity across the lands.

And so, the tale of Eldoria became a legend passed down through generations – a testament to the transformative power of Kenton Brothers Systems for Security in a medieval realm. The villagers lived in peace, secure in the knowledge that their fortified village was a shining example of how innovation and collaboration could triumph over adversity.

If your village is in danger, please send a rider at once!

Which ADA Operator is right for my business?

Which ADA Operator is right for my business?By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

An ADA Operator is a device that you install on a door to make it suitable for people who need help opening and holding open a door. ADA Operators come in many styles, offerings, and sizes to help meet the needs of a facilities openings. Operators can be integrated to work with a company’s access control platform and can be set to work on specific schedules.

The question becomes which ADA Operator is right for my business?

First let’s discuss some of the common type of ADA Operators.

Low-Energy Operators, Power-Assist Operators, and Full Power Operators are some of the most common types. Each of these Operators are made for a specific purpose:

Low-Energy Operator

A Low-Energy operator allows users of all types of mobility to select either manual operation or automatic operation of the door.

Power-Assist Operator

A Power-Assist Operator uses a motor driven mechanism inside the device to open and close the door, it senses the presence of a person trying to open the door and assists them in doing so.

Full-Power Operator

Full-Power (Or Energy) Operators use more energy to quickly open the doors with a higher amount of force. They use sensors, guide rails, have variable closing speeds, and other internal tools to help at the opening.

Which ADA Operator is right for my business? Which ADA Operator is right for my business?

Access Control Integration and ADA Buttons

Which ADA Operator is right for my business?Next let’s discuss the integration of the operators.

Kenton Brothers installs hundreds of Operators each and every year, and a large portion of these are integrated with our customer’s access control platform. The benefits are simple: They can be controlled via schedules, they work in tandem with physical door hardware to keep your facility secure, they allow employees and or patrons with mobility issues to gain entry at correct times, and the operators become an integral part of the building design.

I also wanted to mention ADA buttons.

ADA buttons can be hardwired, wireless, and wave actuated. Button selection is determined by many things including wire paths available; do you want people touching the buttons or not, location of buttons, and aesthetics. Buttons also come in different sizes depending on the available space in the location where they will be installed.

If you have any questions regarding ADA Operators and how they can fit into your facility’s safety and security methods, please contact one of our security consultants to learn more.

SALTO Systems: Unique Access Control Solutions for a 100+ Year Old Building

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

SALTO Systems: Unique Access Control SolutionsIn late 2023, Kenton Brothers was approached by a property management company about adding access control to a local, 100+ year old tenant-based building in Kansas City, MO. The building has more than 16 floors and multiple elevators needed access control. As you can imagine, when the building was being built access control was not in the minds of the architect nor builders. So, the task became how does Kenton Brothers provide access control for this unique situation while keeping costs in-line with the customer’s budget?

SALTO Systems

The answer was an access control platform that supports both online and offline locks while at same time being able to take care of access control for the elevators. The system is made by a company called SALTO Systems. Their array of lock solutions allowed Kenton Brothers technicians to install cable where it was accessible to connect to the server and have some of the locks being online, while also being able to install locks at doors where cable wasn’t an option. All while still granting access or denying access depending on the credential presented.

Here is the interesting feature of this system: Online readers re-program each card as they are presented, and then the new information is carried to the offline locks the next time they are used. This allows the system to be centrally managed without running wires to every lock. (Remember, this building is over 100 years old.) Pretty cool, right?

Our solution allows the property management company to grant access to individuals with the correct credentials into certain spaces like the gym, pool area, rooftop, etc. And they can deny individuals who should not have access to those spaces. Without the SALTO access control system, this is almost impossible to control.

SALTO Systems: Unique Access Control Solutions SALTO Systems: Unique Access Control Solutions

The next phase of the project was the elevators.

To accomplish getting readers to work with the elevators, and the readers needing to be offline readers, Kenton Brothers worked closely with the elevator company whose software and the access control software would work in tandem to take tenants to the correct floors while still allowing the property management company to program proper access to the readers. This was a close coordination between our team and the elevator company to accomplish our customer’s goals. And this was crucial to the success of the project because it again helps keep the flow of traffic of people going to the correct floors where they are allowed to be.

Projects like these are what Kenton Brothers loves to take on. These kinds of projects make us think outside the box, deliver one-of-a-kind systems, and come up with unique and customizable solutions to take care of the customer.  This is the type of work that has made Kenton Brothers stand out for over 127 years.

To see how Kenton Brothers can help with your unique needs, please give us a call.

SALTO Systems: Unique Access Control Solutions SALTO Systems: Unique Access Control Solutions

Dual Technology Credentials

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

Dual Technology CredentialsAccess Control has been around for a few decades now, and during that time the technology has evolved. A lot of customers have older access control equipment and can’t afford to change out equipment every time technology and security solutions change. What are ways that a company can increase security but not have to change out everything all at once? How can they avoid impacting large portions of the their current access control solution? One way is by using Dual Technology Credentials.

Proximity Technology

The industry standard at the beginning of development of access control solutions was called proximity technology.

Proximity is a non-encrypted technology. As technology has advanced, and those who wish to hack or break through the security have advanced, the industry adapted. More advanced types of technology were required to combat those new threats. These advanced defenses include solutions like multi technology, new readers with encryption, advanced card formats, and more.

This is where Dual Technology Credentials come into play.

Changing your credential to dual technology allows you to use older technology readers along with the newer options. All while enjoying the benefits of having an encrypted credential for higher security.

Over time, you will be able to upgrade your readers to a newer type of encrypted reader. (In other words, spreading out the investment timeline for doing the reader upgrades.) You will still be able to use your dual technology credentials, but once all the readers have been updated, you can switch from a dual technology credential to an encrypted credential. This will lower the cost of your credentials moving forward while still keeping the correct standard of credential security.

Individuals who intend to cause harm to a location often try to go for the low hanging fruit… which includes access control credentials. A repeater is used to try and reveal the card or FOB’s credentials. This allows them to re-create the card and allow entry. This is where dual technology credentials can really make a difference.

If you are interested in learning more about Dual Technology Credentials, please contact us and we would be happy to see where we can help heighten security and protect your people, property, and possessions.

Credential Technologies: You may not be as protected as you think

By Neal Bellamy, IT Director at Kenton Brothers

Credential TechnologiesToday, I want to talk about credential technology. While not an extremely exciting topic, it can be, and often is the weakest link in many organization’s access control system. Remember that an attacker doesn’t need to get through every defense in your system, most often they just need to get past the weakest one (or two).

Let’s start with how cards and readers work.

Any RFID reader, including the ones used for access control, puts out an electromagnetic field around the reader. This field is usually measured in inches, but in special readers like a Nedap long-range reader, fields can be measured in feet.

When a credential (card, fob, wristband, sticker, etc.) passes through the field, it electrifies the antenna giving the chip on the credential enough electricity to transmit the data stored on the chip. Most often the data that is stored is the “Card number”. I put it in quotes because that “Card number” could be many things.

Next, we need to talk about card numbers or more specifically card formats.

Unfortunately, most card formats are simple and relatively easy to guess. The most common card formation is 26 bits in length. HID calls this H10301. The first 8 bits designate the facility code and the next 16 bits designate the card number itself. The facility code is a way to group the cards together and in theory, verify that the card belongs to the access control system.

The low bit count means that there are only 256 possible facility codes and 65,535 card numbers. For those people paying attention to the details, the extra 2 bits are used for error checking.

Most people start with card number 1 and work their way up. There are other card formats like 33-bit, 37-bit, 40-bit, and so on. Each increases the possible facility code and card number options. The important takeaway is that once an attacker has the card format, facility code, and card number of a person who has access, they can gain access to your facility.

Encryption

Like most things in commercial security, encryption is a way to combat the wrong people seeing the real card number. Encryption and card formats are independent of each other. You can have a 26-bit card that uses encryption and a 26-bit card that does not use encryption. That is based on the card technology.

Card technology like Prox and Indala are not encrypted. This means that almost any card reader can read the actual card format, facility code, and card number, it just has to get close enough to a card that has access.

Some technologies are encrypted but have already been cracked. Examples of these are Mifare Classic, HID iclass Classic, etc. Because the technology is already cracked, there are several ways of reading the encrypted data, and then applying the workaround to get to the actual card data again. Using a cracked technology is better than unencrypted, but it is still not advised.

Some technologies are not yet cracked like Mifare EV3 and HID iclass SEOS.

Encryption Usage

Credential TechnologiesWhen an encrypted technology is in use, both the card and reader must be using the same set of keys. Public/Private key is a long topic, but effectively a matching pair of keys are used to encrypt and decrypt data. (More information here.)

This means that readers and credentials are matched for the different manufacturers. If you are using HID readers, you almost always need to use HID credentials. Even with an encrypted, uncracked, card technology, the most commonly sold readers and credentials use the same key pair across all readers and credentials. This means that anyone can buy the latest HID reader to read almost every HID card ever sold.

There are special programs where a business can “own” its own set of keys. Another option is to use a system that generates a unique key and then can use that key to encrypt the cards specifically for a given system like Gallagher.

I know this was a lot of information, so let’s distill it a bit.

First, make sure you are using encrypted card technology.

Second, use the latest technology when you are using encryption. This will be based on the card readers you are using.

Finally, if at all possible, own your public/private keys. Sign up for a unique key system like Corporate 1000, or use a system like Gallagher to generate a unique key for your system.

If you have more questions or need help with your current/future commercial security solution, please give us a call.