Encrypted Access Control Credentials: TELECO Urges Businesses to Retire Cloneable Proximity Cards

GREENVILLE, S.C. – November 14, 2026 – TELECO, Inc., a business technology provider serving commercial customers for over 45 years, today encouraged organizations to review the badges and key fobs that open their doors and to move toward encrypted access control credentials. Many offices, warehouses, clinics, and schools still rely on 125 kHz proximity cards, a decades-old technology that can be copied in seconds with inexpensive devices sold online.

The Badge in Your Pocket May Be Easy to Copy

Proximity cards were a major step forward when they replaced metal keys and magnetic stripe cards. They are convenient, durable, and still widely used. The problem is how they communicate. A standard 125 kHz card transmits its identification number without encryption, which means a reader, or a cloning device held close by, can capture that number and write it to a blank card.

The scale of the exposure is significant. A 2020 HID Global report found that 51% of surveyed organizations were using 125 kHz proximity credentials. Since then, card cloning devices have become cheaper and easier to buy, and security researchers have repeatedly demonstrated how quickly a prox card can be duplicated.

Many businesses assume a badge-controlled door is secure. But a door that relies on unencrypted proximity cards can be opened by anyone with a copied card, and that copy can be made in a parking lot. Moving to encrypted credentials closes this gap, and it doesn’t mean replacing the whole access control system.

Why Cloned Credentials Are a Business Risk

A cloned badge looks like a legitimate entry in the access log. That makes it harder to detect than a forced door and gives an unauthorized person the same access as the employee whose card was copied. The consequences can include:

• Theft of inventory, equipment, or sensitive records
• Unauthorized access to server rooms and network closets
• Safety risks for employees, patients, students, or tenants
• Difficulty proving who entered a space during an incident review

Because physical access often leads to digital access, a cloned card can also become the first step in a network breach. TELECO has previously written about the overlap between door security and network security in its guidance on cyber-physical security for access control systems.

A Practical Path to Encrypted Access Control Credentials

TELECO recommends a phased approach that improves security without disrupting daily operations:

• Audit every reader and credential in use to identify legacy proximity technology
• Prioritize high-risk doors, such as server rooms, inventory storage, and pharmacies, for upgrade first
• Choose readers that support both legacy and encrypted credentials during the transition
• Add mobile credentials so employees can use their smartphones as secure keys
• Remove or suspend inactive credentials immediately when people leave or change roles
• Connect access events to video so every entry has visual verification

Through its partnership with Paxton, TELECO designs and installs access control systems for organizations of all sizes. Paxton Net2 supports single-site and growing businesses, while Paxton10 manages up to 100 sites from one server and supports Bluetooth credentials. The Paxton Connect app allows administrators to manage access and lets employees open doors with their smartphones. TELECO’s access control systems use TCP/IP architecture with RSA and AES encryption to secure customer accounts, and they integrate with video surveillance, fire alarm, POS, and HVAC systems.

For many businesses, upgrading access credentials is one of the most effective security improvements they can make. The benefits grow when the upgrade is combined with integrated video and good credential management. Together, they give a company a clear, verifiable record of who entered each door, where they went, and when.

Integration Makes Access Control Stronger

Access control works best as part of a larger security system. When door events are linked to video surveillance, security teams can confirm that the person who badged in matches the credential being used. Real-time reporting, instant lockdown, and scheduled door unlocking give managers more control across one building or many locations.

For organizations that prefer to avoid a large equipment purchase, TELECO also offers access control and other technologies through CompleteCare ONE, its Technology as a Service program. The subscription includes repair or replacement of defective equipment, labor for basic adds, moves, and changes, and an upgrade path over time.

Next Steps for Business Owners

TELECO encourages facility managers, IT leaders, and business owners to start with a simple question: what kind of credential opens our most important doors? If the answer is a proximity card, or no one is sure, an access control assessment is a smart first step. TELECO’s team can evaluate existing readers and credentials, recommend an upgrade plan, and help organizations move to encrypted access control credentials on a schedule that fits their operations.

To request an access control assessment, contact TELECO or call 800.800.6159.

About TELECO

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, with an office in Deerfield Beach, Florida, TELECO, Inc. provides business technology solutions to commercial customers across the United States. TELECO’s services include access control, video surveillance, business phone systems, managed IT, cybersecurity, structured cabling, Cellular DAS, Public Safety DAS, DAS field testing, and DAS design and engineering. Through CompleteCare ONE, customers can access TELECO technology as a subscription. TELECO is a proud Clemson Small Business Partner. Learn more at https://www.teleco.com.

Media Contact
Company Name: TELECO, Inc.
Contact Person: Mark Williams
Email: Send Email
Phone: (800) 800-6159
Address:430 Woodruff Road Suite 300
City: Greenville
State: SC
Country: United States
Website: www.teleco.com