Visitor Management System: Authentication without OTP

In any modern office or factory, the reception area is the first line of defense. A visitor management system is designed to ensure that this line is secure, professional, and efficient.

However, a common weak link in this process is how we verify that a visitor is who they say they are - visitor authentication - a common challenge in any visitor management system.

Many organizations depend on mobile numbers to identify and authenticate visitors, but this process is often unreliable. Visitors may enter fake phone numbers to save time or avoid sharing personal information. To avoid this, traditionally, it involves sending a one-time password (OTP) to their phone. While common, this method is a bottleneck with respect to time and security and a drain on company resources.

Visitor authentication is a significant challenge in the daily operations of most Indian enterprises. When a visitor arrives, they are usually asked for their mobile number. This simple step carries several hidden security risks especially in busy offices, hospitals, residential complexes, and hotels.

When visitors verbally state their mobile number at the reception, it can be overheard by others standing nearby. Even when visitors type their number into a system, it can still be seen or noted by someone else. These situations create security risks, data collection risks, and potential data breaches:

• Dishonest Data: Many visitors intentionally enter fake phone numbers into the system to avoid future marketing calls or simply out of haste. For a business, a fake visitor number means you have no way to track or contact that individual if a security incident occurs.

For a business, a fake visitor number means you have no way to track or contact that individual if a security incident occurs.

• Privacy Exposure: In a busy lobby, a visitor often has to verbally communicate their number to a security guard or receptionist. This allows anyone nearby to overhear and note down private contact details, leading to a direct data breach risk.

• Visual Theft:  Even when using a digital tablet, the next person in line can often see the phone number being typed. This creates a data collection risk that violates modern privacy standards. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) in India, companies are classified as Data Fiduciaries. This makes them legally responsible for ensuring that personal data is collected using reasonable security safeguards, including secure and compliant methods of data entry.

A modern visitor management system must reduce these risks while keeping the process fast and simple.

VersionX has reimagined the visitor management system to eliminate these risks entirely. Our system features a unique "machine-to-machine" (M2M) communication technology that authenticates a visitor’s mobile number in less than a second—without ever sending an OTP.

This helps prevent fake entries and ensures that the mobile number captured is genuine, without adding extra steps or delays for the visitor.

Instead of waiting for a text message, the visitor simply calls a specific number displayed at the gate or the reception. The system recognizes the incoming signal and automatically disconnects the call. In that instant, the VersionX system captures and verifies the visitor’s number.

This process is a game-changer for security risk mitigation. Because the number is captured directly from the cellular network, there is zero chance for a visitor to provide a fake number. Furthermore, the visitor never has to speak their number aloud or type it into a public screen, write it down, or share it with a receptionist or security guard, ensuring total privacy. This reduces the risk of the number being overheard, seen, or misused, and supports better data compliance by limiting unnecessary exposure of personal data.

Because the visitor's mobile number is captured directly from the cellular network, there is zero chance for a visitor to provide a fake number.

The "No-OTP" approach isn't just a technical trick; it provides tangible benefits across various industries:

1)   The authentication happens almost instantly. Waiting for OTPs in areas with patchy network coverage causes gate congestion. VersionX’s visitor authentication keeps the entry lines moving.

2)   This approach helps with security risk mitigation. Since the system captures a real, verified mobile number, there is no chance of unidentified or falsely identified visitors entering the premises.

3)   It saves cost. The cost of sending thousands of international or local SMS-OTPs adds up. VersionX’s ability to authenticate without SMS charges is a huge cost-saver.

Since the system captures a real, verified mobile number, there is no chance of unidentified or falsely identified visitors entering the premises.

The same feature works well in self-entry scenarios where there is no operator present. For example, in a corporate office lobby or a residential building, a visitor can enter their details on a kiosk or tablet. The mobile number is verified automatically by the system silently in the background, providing a premium, high-tech experience.

This makes the visitor management system efficient, secure, and suitable across sectors such as offices, residential communities, hospitals, and hotels, where fast visitor flow, strong security, and data protection are equally important.

With the enforcement of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), data compliance is no longer optional. A professional visitor management system must protect Personal Identifiable Information (PII). By removing the need for visitors to announce their numbers or leave them visible on screens, VersionX ensures your company stays on the right side of the law while maintaining a sophisticated image.