So, you've invested a lot of money in a shiny new access control system that puts you in full control of who can and cannot enter your premises. The only thing left to do is to choose a good access door code that will keep your property safe and secure.
But what do you choose? In this blog, we take a look firstly at why you need to choose an appropriate door access code, what you should avoid and some tips to choosing the door access code for you!
Why it's important to choose a secure access code
It may be stating the obvious a little but when it comes to choosing an access code for your door, it's important that you choose one that can't be easily guessed. If you don't, then you're potentially inviting unwanted guests onto your premises where they are free to do whatever they like as well as leave with whatever they like. Something you'll want to avoid if you have sensitive information lying around, particularly associated with your customers if you own a business as this will breach GDPR regulations.
What to avoid when selecting an access code
Knowing what to avoid when choosing a new door access code can make selecting the right code a little easier. For a helping hand, here are some of the things to steer away from!
- Your birthday - Potential intruders know that many codes are made up of people's birthdays and with personal information so easy to get a hold of, you'll definitely want to avoid using you.
- Sequential numbers - Codes such as 1234 that use sequential numbers are also extremely popular and therefore extremely easy to guess, so avoid these at all costs.
- Other personal information - Avoid using other forms of personal information such as the end of a phone number, street address or the birthday of a spouse or child as again, this is easily accessible information.
Tips for choosing a secure door access code
Now that you know what to avoid when selecting your door access code, here are a few tips on how to select a secure one.
Make a shape
Got a favourite shape or letter? Great! Use the keypad on your access box to draw it. For example, if your name begins with a 'C', then you could select '21478'. Or maybe you like the 'X' shape, so you select '159357'. Either way, using letters and shapes that are meaningful to you can help create a secure passcode that will be difficult for intruders to guess.
Word it up
You can also create a passcode from a four or six-letter word that means something to you e.g your child's name. If you have a daughter called Rosy, then the code '7679' can be used as these numbers represent the letter of the name.
Make history
While your birthday year and that of spouses and children may be easily guessed, the year in which something significant to you happened may not be. For example, if you support a football team, the year that they were founded could be used. Something which is easy to remember and meaningful always works best.
More tips
More good practise tips for choosing a good door access codes include:
- Using an acronym for a password that is easy to remember e.g. You'll Never Walk Alone would translate to YNWA which numerically would be '9692'.
- Selecting numbers that create a little jingle with a catchy tune and a rhyme, such as '6824 will always get me through this door'.
- Combining a set of meaningful numbers in random order. For example, if you have four siblings who were born in June, September, April and January, you're code could be '6941'.
These are just a handful of ways to help you select a door access code that is right for you and won't be easily guessed by potential intruders.
For more information on ways to keep your premises secure or tips on choosing a good door access code, don't be afraid to get in touch with a member of the IDS team today - we'd love to help!
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