If you gave a child a big bag of cookies then told them not to eat one and walked away, chances are they would gobble down a cookie faster than Takeru Kobayashi consumes a hotdog in the Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest.
After all, you’d never know if one was missing.
The same goes for your key security.
An employee can easily copy a key stamped with “Do Not Duplicate.”
Here’s the scary part – you won’t have a clue that your facility’s security has been compromised.
Do Not Duplicate – Merely a Deterrent
While the key stamping “Do Not Duplicate” does serve as a deterrent, it is by no means a security feature for your key system.
Any reputable locksmith or big box retailer would refuse to copy a key with this stamping without proper authorization.
However, key copying kiosks entered the scene a few years ago, and as we all know, a machine doesn’t have an ethical compass.
While these kiosks are great for making copies of personal keys, they pose a threat to companies that use unrestricted key systems.
There is nothing in the machine that recognizes those three little words (Do Not Duplicate) and asks you to fork over some authorization before proceeding. Though, if you’re in the business of key copying kiosks it would be great if you could add that security feature.
In other words – anyone who has a key can make a copy.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you’re on an unrestricted system, you should always rekey your facility after a disgruntled employee quits or is terminated.
I can hear you now – “But Katie, when someone quits or is terminated, I always get the key back!”
Are you sure? Do you get all the keys that individual has?
They could have run to the local big box retailer’s key copying kiosk and could easily gain entrance to your facility.
If the thought of your keys running amuck in the streets gives you great pause, you may want to consider upgrading to a restricted system.
They come with a slightly higher price tag, but they will give you peace of mind knowing that no one will be able to copy your keys without proper authorization.
For more information, check out our comprehensive Key Systems 101 article or download our white paper.