'Is 'chivalry' a danger to security?' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Penelope

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Is 'chivalry' a danger to security?" Blog.

Please click reply to discuss below.

Evansangel

I did this at work to. The rules state that each person must shut the door behind them and the next person use their pass to reopen it to get in.
But it doesn't make sense when we only get a 15min break and there are 20+ people trying to get onto the floor with the canteen.

A complete stranger did manage to get into the building though, he went upto the MBNA section to ask about his credit card lol.

(its a call centre btw)

Scarlet_Fever

Evansangel wrote: »

The rules state that each person must shut the door behind them and the next person use their pass to reopen it to get in.

we have this rule too, although you can feel very awkward when saying to someone, can i see your pass before i let you tailgate me!

MacMickster

Chivalry/human nature will always prevail. Even if YOU stick rigidly to the rules, someone else will ignore them.

Electronic passes therefore give a false sense of security unless they are part of a foolproof system. How about electronic turnstiles which only let one person through at a time with their electronic pass (or does this remind people too much of Steptoe and Son).

Errata

Why the problem ? It seems the building has more security guards than Fort Knox and more TV cameras than MGM.

Building management will have carried out a thorough risk assessment (won't they ), and taken into account that no matter what the rules and regs say, some people will hold doors open for other people
If you're becoming fraught about it, ask the management company what the penalty is for a breach. Naughty step ? Banned for the next 3 matches ? Tweeted about to all and sundry and becoming top tweet of the day ? Awayday with Elf and his mate safe Ty ?

I once returned to the office from a 'working' lunch with 3 blokes, 2 popped into the gents and the third held the door open for me to follow them. I thanked him for his courtesy and politely declined

The moral of this story is: you can hold a door open for someone until the end of time, but they choose to walk through it

DarkConvict

We got warned about tailgating on my work placement, most doors in the building has swipe card access, and each building has a 1 person turnstile too with plenty of CCTV considering the work been done.

Its a nightmare if you leave your card at home on day, you will never forget it again Although we have had people gain access, a co-workers pc was logged in with someone else's name, but with 120 people on 1 project accessing one door i guess it can happen.

The best doors are the opens which you have to swipe in and swipe out from. especially 2 in a row, you have too swipe otherwise you can't get in/out next time.

Jesthar

MacMickster wrote: »

Chivalry/human nature will always prevail. How about electronic turnstiles which only let one person through at a time with their electronic pass (or does this remind people too much of Steptoe and Son).

We have something like this at our new office, so far so good...

We also have to swipe our card to get into the interior office doors, and the senior brass who have moved in onthe top floor issued all kinds of edicts about 'no tailgating - swipe yout pass at every door' etc. - ironic, as they are the biggest culprits!

The twist in the tale is that the door software can be set to record swipes in and out and set of an alarm if someone hasn't swiped both in and out of *all* doors correctly, and last I heard they are planning to turn it on at some point soon (the security staff are NOT fans of that move!). I give it about two weeks before the brass get sick of being stopped and shamed every time they try and leave the premesis...

~Jes

glider3560

I did some temp work through an agency for a small company in one of these multi company offices once.

I'd been there almost 4 days and was getting fed up with having to ask at the reception desk to be let in twice every day (morning and after lunch) and then having to press the intercom to get out twice every day.

So after lunch, I planned my entrance. Just follow someone else in who has a pass - can't be difficult, can it?

So I eyed up my target and followed them through the door. She noticed that I hadn't scanned my ID card (didn't have one) and said "you still need to badge in". I then took my hand and placed it on the reader (as if I had a card in there). She then smiled at me and let me proceed through the door. She never realised I had nothing in my hand and now I was free to roam around this building (of course, I was working there at the time).

glider3560

Jesthar wrote: »

We have something like this at our new office, so far so good...

We also have to swipe our card to get into the interior office doors, and the senior brass who have moved in onthe top floor issued all kinds of edicts about 'no tailgating - swipe yout pass at every door' etc. - ironic, as they are the biggest culprits!

The twist in the tale is that the door software can be set to record swipes in and out and set of an alarm if someone hasn't swiped both in and out of *all* doors correctly, and last I heard they are planning to turn it on at some point soon (the security staff are NOT fans of that move!). I give it about two weeks before the brass get sick of being stopped and shamed every time they try and leave the premesis...

~Jes

Going on from my post above, I also did temp work at a company who handled credit/debit cards for a major high street bank. We had to swipe in at the entrance, swipe into our floor, swipe into our department and then swipe into our office. The swipe was then accompanied by entering a 4-digit PIN each time. There was even a separate swipe for the coffee machine/toilet area. You also had to swipe to get out of each of these doors.

If you didn't swipe in/out correctly, your card would not work at the next door with a message on screen "Contact Security - Card Blocked". Your card would then only allow you out of the building and then into reception. After missing one swipe once (on the third door), I soon learnt the hard way to make sure I swiped everytime!

skintdragon

Not rude at all... if you know them, or know they work in the same building, then helping with the door is not an issue. If they are a stranger to you, and they work there, then I am sure they'd understand (or hope that they would) if you just let yourself in. After all, you're only thinking of the greater good, which is the security of the people in the same building. I'm sure they'd understand!

nearlyrich

I once refused to let a guy in when I was waiting in reception at a new customers, I appologised but said I wasn't really comfortable with giving him access and as it wasn't raining he waited until the receptionist came back, turned out he was the MD and had forgotton his key. He was really happy I hadn't just let some random stranger in ....