Locksmith Security Systems 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary security advantage of a card-based access control system over a traditional key system?
- Cards are cheaper to manufacture than keys
- Access rights can be revoked instantly without rekeying locks (Correct answer)
- Cards cannot be duplicated under any circumstances
- Card readers require no power to operate
Correct answer: Access rights can be revoked instantly without rekeying locks
Lost or stolen access cards can be deactivated in the software immediately, while lost keys require physical rekeying of all affected locks.
Question 2: Which type of credential uses a 125 kHz radio frequency and is considered the LEAST secure standard in modern access control?
- MIFARE DESFire EV2
- HID iCLASS SE
- EM4100 proximity card (Correct answer)
- FIDO2 token
Correct answer: EM4100 proximity card
125 kHz EM4100 (HID Prox) cards store data in the clear with no encryption, making them trivially cloneable with inexpensive readers.
Question 3: In CCTV system design, what does 'DORI' stand for?
- Detection, Observation, Recognition, Identification (Correct answer)
- Distance, Optics, Resolution, Illumination
- Detection, Orientation, Range, Identification
- Display, Output, Recording, Integration
Correct answer: Detection, Observation, Recognition, Identification
DORI defines four performance levels for camera coverage: Detection, Observation, Recognition, and Identification, each requiring increasing pixel density.
Question 4: A video surveillance system records at 15 fps versus 30 fps. What is the main trade-off of using the lower frame rate?
- Higher storage consumption with no quality benefit
- Smoother video but worse low-light performance
- Reduced storage use but potentially missed fast motion (Correct answer)
- Lower image resolution in each frame
Correct answer: Reduced storage use but potentially missed fast motion
Lower frame rates save storage space but may cause choppy playback and miss brief, fast-moving events such as a punch or a license plate.
Question 5: What is the function of a 'door prop alarm' in an access control system?
- It alerts when a door is opened without a valid credential
- It sounds when a door is held open beyond a set time limit (Correct answer)
- It signals when a card is presented but access is denied
- It notifies when the door lock actuator fails to engage
Correct answer: It sounds when a door is held open beyond a set time limit
A door prop alarm triggers when a door remains open past the programmed hold-open time, indicating it may be wedged or blocked.
Question 6: Which principle of physical security design calls for multiple independent layers of protection so that defeating one layer does not grant full access?
- Security by obscurity
- Defense in depth (Correct answer)
- Least privilege
- Zero trust
Correct answer: Defense in depth
Defense in depth layers perimeter fencing, door contacts, motion detectors, and access control so an intruder must defeat each sequentially.
Question 7: What is the purpose of anti-passback in an access control system?
- To prevent a card from being used at the same reader twice in a row without an intermediate exit (Correct answer)
- To disable a card after it is reported lost
- To require a second factor after multiple failed PIN attempts
- To block access during off-hours regardless of credential validity
Correct answer: To prevent a card from being used at the same reader twice in a row without an intermediate exit
Anti-passback prevents a credential from being shared by requiring that an entry swipe be followed by an exit swipe before the card can enter again.
Locksmith Security Systems 5
What is the primary security advantage of a card-based access control system over a traditional key system?