Define access control and name two technologies commonly used to enforce it.

Define access control and name two technologies commonly used to enforce it.

• A. Random door openings; alarm bells and motion sensors.
• B. Surveillance cameras and social media monitoring.
• C. Procedures and mechanisms that grant or deny entry to people and areas; badge/keycard systems and biometric readers.
• D. Physical barriers only; mechanical locks and fencing.

Answer: (C)

Access control is the set of policies, procedures, and technical measures that determine who may enter a given area or resource and under what conditions. The best choice captures both the administrative side (how access is granted or denied) and the practical enforcement methods used to implement it. Badge or keycard systems and biometric readers are classic examples: the badge or keycard presents a credential that is checked at a reader to grant access, while biometric readers verify unique physical traits (like a fingerprint or iris) to authorize entry. Together, these mechanisms ensure that only authorized individuals can reach protected spaces and that access can be denied when credentials don’t match or when access isn’t permitted. The other options miss this full picture. Random door openings and alarm bells or motion sensors focus on detecting events rather than controlling who gets in. Surveillance cameras and social media monitoring relate to monitoring and information gathering, not granting or denying entry. Physical barriers alone, such as mechanical locks and fencing, block access but don’t address how access is granted or denied through credentials and policy enforcement.

Access control is the set of policies, procedures, and technical measures that determine who may enter a given area or resource and under what conditions. The best choice captures both the administrative side (how access is granted or denied) and the practical enforcement methods used to implement it. Badge or keycard systems and biometric readers are classic examples: the badge or keycard presents a credential that is checked at a reader to grant access, while biometric readers verify unique physical traits (like a fingerprint or iris) to authorize entry. Together, these mechanisms ensure that only authorized individuals can reach protected spaces and that access can be denied when credentials don’t match or when access isn’t permitted.

The other options miss this full picture. Random door openings and alarm bells or motion sensors focus on detecting events rather than controlling who gets in. Surveillance cameras and social media monitoring relate to monitoring and information gathering, not granting or denying entry. Physical barriers alone, such as mechanical locks and fencing, block access but don’t address how access is granted or denied through credentials and policy enforcement.