NCIDQ IDFX Practice Exam

What type of access control device uses a plastic card with a coded magnetic strip?

1. Numbered keyboard

2. Punched card access system

3. Card readers

4. Electrical lock

The correct answer is: Card readers

The correct choice involves a card reader, which is designed specifically to interact with plastic cards that have coded magnetic strips. These cards, often referred to as access cards or key cards, contain encoded data that can be read by the card reader when the card is swiped or tapped against it. The information stored on the magnetic strip usually includes a unique identifier that allows the system to recognize whether access should be granted or denied based on the permissions assigned to that card. In contrast, a numbered keyboard relies on the input of codes or passwords via physical buttons for access, rather than utilizing a physical card. A punched card access system requires the use of specially designed cards with holes punched in them, which is a much older form of technology compared to magnetic strip cards. An electrical lock is a mechanism that uses electronic means for locking and unlocking but does not specifically involve the use of a card with a magnetic strip. Thus, card readers are the correct answer as they are the devices directly designed to read and process the information contained on magnetic strip cards.