Access Control & Perimeter Security Flashcards

A security director reviews an access control audit log and notices an employee badging in at 2:00 AM from an office 500 miles away after badging out locally at 1:45 AM. This anomaly is best described as:

Answer: Impossible travel (temporal/geographic anomaly)

Impossible travel is a red flag in access log analysis where the time between two geographically distant access events is physically impossible, indicating credential theft or cloned cards.

Which standard specifically addresses the installation and performance requirements for physical security perimeter intrusion detection and alarm systems?

Answer: ANSI/SIA CP-01

ANSI/SIA CP-01 is the Control Panel Standard that covers false-alarm reduction requirements for security systems, while broader PIDS standards include IEC 62676; however, CP-01 is the most cited US standard for alarm control panels.

In access control terminology, what does 'anti-passback' enforcement prevent?

Answer: Re-entering a secured area using the same credential without first exiting through a monitored exit

Anti-passback rules require that a credential used to enter a zone must also be used to exit before it can grant re-entry, preventing one person from badging in multiple people on one credential.

A facility uses a 'two-person integrity' (TPI) rule for its high-security vault. What does this policy require?

Answer: No single individual may enter or work in the area alone — two authorized persons must be present at all times

Two-person integrity (also called the two-man rule) mandates that at least two authorized individuals must always be present, preventing any single person from having unobserved access to sensitive assets.

Which type of perimeter lighting is most effective at illuminating an intruder approaching from the exterior while keeping the interior defenders in relative darkness?

Answer: Glare projection lighting directed outward

Glare projection lighting directs bright light outward toward approaching threats, blinding or revealing intruders while keeping defenders inside shielded from the light source.

What is the primary difference between a 'passive infrared' (PIR) detector and a 'microwave' detector used in perimeter security?

Answer: PIR detects changes in heat signatures; microwave detects movement via reflected radio frequency energy

PIR sensors detect changes in infrared (heat) energy from moving warm bodies, while microwave sensors emit RF energy and detect Doppler shifts caused by movement.

A perimeter fence audit reveals 'fence creep' along a section where soil erosion has created a gap underneath. Why is this a critical vulnerability?

Answer: It creates an uncontrolled breach point that can be exploited for covert entry or contraband passage

Gaps beneath fencing allow intruders to crawl under without triggering fence-mounted sensors, bypassing the perimeter entirely without disturbing the above-ground barrier.