Access Control Basics: The Small Gaps That Become Big Incidents

It’s rarely the broken reader. It’s the “just this once” moments—tailgating, shared badges, visitors who skip the log—that quietly add risk until something goes wrong.

Quick wins

Most access control problems aren’t technical—they’re behavioral. Consistency is the fix.

Pick a few rules that matter, say them the same way every time, and back the team when they enforce them. That’s how you stop the slow drift into exceptions.

Stop tailgating early (and say it out loud)
Use visitor badges people can spot instantly
Do a quick log check before anyone goes past the desk