Visitors expect Wi-Fi, and the usual answer — a sticky note with a shared password behind reception — is a quiet security and compliance problem. That password never changes, is impossible to audit, and often bridges guests uncomfortably close to internal systems.
Why the shared password fails
- It never expires, so former visitors keep access indefinitely.
- You can not tell who used it or when.
- It encourages a flat network where guests are too close to internal resources.
- It is one leak away from being everywhere.
Tie access to the visit
A better model issues guest network access as part of check-in: the visitor gets time-limited credentials tied to their visit, on a segregated guest network, that expire when they leave. Access becomes accountable and temporary rather than shared and permanent.
Convenience and control together
For the guest, it is easier than a password on a sticky note. For IT and security, every session is attributable to a visit and disappears at check-out — convenience and control at once.
Certopact and guest access
Certopact Access captures the visit and can integrate with network systems to provision time-limited guest access tied to check-in, so visitors get Wi-Fi without the shared-password risk.