CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Creation of secured access path to offices, homes, hotels, industries etc. has been a successful discovery of man. As a result of this, it has been possible to create door/gates that are well secured using smart card.
Individuals are becoming more aware of the dangers/ risk associated with relying on keys or padlocks to provide security to unauthorized areas of their apartments. Fraudsters/criminals can forge keys or make master keys that will be used to break into such rooms or offices. To eliminate this insecure and old fashioned method, the use of password in doors/gates mechanism evolved. The development of single secret authentication such as password is an effective security control.
A long pass-word of more than ten characters that consists of random letters, numbers and special character can be very difficult to crack. Unfortunately, users cannot always remember the sort of pass-word, partly due to fundamental human limitations.
However, most security guidance recommends at least eight character random password. Because most users cannot commit eight character random password to memory and many attempt to write it down on a piece of paper which can be misplaced or seen by another person, while some users tend to choose easy to
remember passwords such as ‗123‘ or other easily guessed characters. Due to this shortcoming of a single secret authentication, creation of two factor authentication evolved.
Two-factor authentication i.e. System that uses card and pin code for authentication overcame the issues of single secret authentication by the requirement of a second secret. Two-factor authentication uses a combination of the following items; Something that the user has, such as hardware token or a smartcard. Something the user knows, such as personal identification number (pin).
Smartcard and their associated pins are becoming increasingly popular, reliable and cost effective. Two-factor authentication with the right control in place, the user must have the smartcard and know the pin code to gain access to the required apartment. The smartcard requirement significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access to an organization‘s outfit.
Hence to reduce or eliminate the access of unauthorized personnel into unauthorized areas, an automated door/access path is to be constructed. This involves controlling the doors/gates by an artificial means (artificial intelligence). It involves the application of automated system that is incorporated into these doors/gates for efficient and optimum performance. Taking the advantage of the
microcontroller as one of the fastest processing and intelligent instrument, was incorporated into the system and interfaced with smartcard in order to achieve accuracy in processing.