By Jay Jason Bartlett, CEO, Cozaint Corp
In the last decade, the physical access control market has undergone a seismic shift. What was once a relatively static industry dominated by Prox cards and legacy badge systems has transformed into a dynamic ecosystem centered on cybersecurity principles, mobile-first solutions, and intelligent integrations. A major catalyst in this transformation is the adoption of Zero Trust security principles, which are now reshaping how organizations protect not just digital assets but physical spaces as well.
Physical security has historically depended on defenses based on perimeters. People were frequently trusted to move around internal areas without additional verification if they could show a badge and enter the building. Despite being simple and effective in terms of operations, this strategy exposed firms to a variety of internal threats, tailgating, and unapproved lateral movement within buildings. The dynamic nature of contemporary work environments—which increasingly include hybrid teams, flexible workplaces, and the requirement to secure sensitive areas like executive suites or data centers—was not taken into consideration.
This environment is radically re-envisioned using the Zero Trust concept. Rooted in the idea of “never trust, always verify,” Zero Trust treats every access attempt as a potential threat until proven otherwise. In terms of physical access, this implies that a worker who enters the main lobby does not immediately obtain authorization to enter the server room or human resources division. Rather, identity, role, time of day, risk score, and other environmental cues are used to continuously assess access privileges. This method successfully bridges the gap between cybersecurity and physical security by integrating digital identity platforms and policy engines with physical security.
In physical security, the proliferation of smartphone-based credentials is one of the biggest facilitators of Zero Trust. According to contemporary standards, legacy proximity cards—particularly the widely used 125 kHz Prox cards—are no longer secure. They lack encryption and identity verification features and are easily replicated using low-cost technologies. On the other hand, smartphones offer a multi-factor identity validation platform. They include encrypted credential storage, PIN or passcode protection, biometric authentication, and remote access revocation and updating capabilities. This significantly improves user comfort and security posture.
There is more to the move to mobile credentials than meets the eye. More than 40% of businesses have implemented or intend to implement mobile-based access control by 2025, per a 2023 report from IFSEC Global. According to HID Global, a prominent supplier in the field, the use of mobile credentials is growing at a compound annual growth rate of more than 30%. This trend reflects both the operational and security benefits of smartphone-based access as well as a growing awareness of the weaknesses in legacy systems.
The incorporation of digital credentials into user-friendly solutions such as Apple Wallet and Google Wallet is another significant turning point in the development of physical access management. With iOS 15 and later, Apple Wallet began to support employee badge credentials, enabling users to use their iPhone or Apple Watch to access turnstiles, elevators, and doors. Credentials are safely saved within the device’s Secure Element thanks to this system’s use of hardware-backed encryption.
Features like Express Mode simplify the user experience without sacrificing security by granting access without unlocking the device. Similar functionality is provided by Google Wallet on Android smartphones, which supports credentials through NFC and BLE technologies. This integration enables Android users to safely and effectively store and display access credentials, supported by the Titan M2 security chip and the strong Android security architecture.
The availability of these digital wallet connections facilitates smooth cross-platform compatibility, increases user acceptance, and lowers friction. Remote credential issuance, updating, and revocation allows organizations to tightly regulate access privileges and facilitate quicker onboarding and offboarding. More importantly, these credentials can be dynamically linked to the enterprise’s identity management system, allowing for real-time updates and centralized policy enforcement.
Digital and physical security are being combined into a single, cohesive model by the convergence of mobile credentials and Zero Trust concepts. A mobile credential is specifically linked to the user’s identity and device when it is issued through Google Wallet or Apple Wallet. Integrations with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platforms allow access attempts to be recorded in real-time, examined for irregularities, and linked to cybersecurity incidents. For instance, the system may immediately sound an alarm or temporarily revoke access privileges while they are being reviewed if an employee tries to enter a restricted area at an odd time. Physical access decisions are as dynamic and intelligent as digital access controls thanks to this context-aware, policy-driven methodology.
Mobile credentials offer quantifiable operational and financial advantages in addition to improving security. Plastic card production and distribution, which entails material, shipping, and administrative expenses, are no longer necessary for organizations. Remote provisioning minimizes credential issuance delays and speeds up the onboarding of new workers or contractors.
Similar to this, credentials that have been lost or stolen can be instantly revoked without requiring a badge to be physically retrieved or locks to be rekeyed. These benefits help businesses with a distributed or hybrid workforce be more efficient and provide a more seamless work environment for their employees.
Additionally, environmental goals—an increasingly significant factor in today’s business environment—are supported by mobile credentials. By eliminating plastic cards and associated logistics, companies reduce their environmental footprint while improving operational agility. Without compromising security, this integration with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) objectives strengthens corporate responsibility.
Physical access control is expected to continue to evolve and grow in the future. By 2030, the global physical access control market is expected to grow to a value of $15.6 billion, according to a MarketsandMarkets forecast. The true narrative, however, is not only about market size but also about the industry’s architectural change. Smarter, more secure environments where digital and physical security are linked rather than isolated are being created by incorporating identity, context, and policy into access choices.
In this new era, organizations that embrace Zero Trust and use smartphone-based credentials stand to gain more security, flexibility, and a more unified infrastructure. They embrace a future where all access decisions, digital or physical, are founded on verified identity, contextual awareness, and real-time risk assessment, moving past antiquated presumptions of trust. A more safe, effective, and user-friendly workplace that is prepared to handle the demands of a hybrid, mobile-first world is the ultimate result.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jay Jason Bartlett is the Managing Editor of Security.World and the CEO of Cozaint Corporation, a manufacturer of security surveillance solutions. Jay has over 40 years in the high-tech industry and over 15 years in physical security. visit: cozaint.com