Security in the ATM world can be confusing, especially for bankers. When banks own their ATMs but outsource the protection or security of the machines to third parties specializing in ATM servicing and cash replenishment, they are left feeling like they have little control.

But what happens if money disappears? Everyone is held accountable, said Orlando Consalvi, national product manager for La Gard, a division of Computerized Security Systems and distributor of electronic safe locks.

"Now you have two different companies (excluding the bank) that have access to the same machine. And when you have a problem, it's hard to determine who is responsible," he said.

Safe cash

That's why interest in ATM security devices like La Gard's Navigator is on the rise. Navigator, La Gard?s latest generation lock, is a keyless, Web-based security management system that centralizes control of the ATM.

"ATM manufacturers ... usually put one basic lock on every machine they produce; so the ATM arrives at the bank with a mechanical lock with one combination," Consalvi said. "There's nothing on it that can help the bank track who accesses the machine."

To remedy that problem, La Gard's Navigator creates an audit trail each time an ATM is accessed, whether by a service or cash-replenishment vendor or the bank's ATM security manager. And Navigator tracks which individual representing the vendor accesses the machine, what services he performed and how long the ATM was open. Using Navigator's Web-based interface, the ATM owner can access the information from anywhere.

D.J. Perera, ATM installation manager for Palm Desert, Calif.-based Palm Desert National Bank, said he was impressed with Navigator when he saw it at the ATM Industry Association Conference West in September, its official introduction to end-users.

"After seeing (Consalvi's) presentation, I was actually going around to other people at the show and telling them that they needed to check this booth out," Perera said. "What I think makes the system unique is that it's keyless, and you can operate the system remotely. It has features other locks have; but it also has time-window management, a one-time code and an audit trail."

Consalvi said La Gard developed Navigator and introduced it in July in response to requests from banks and independent ATM sales/service organizations that requested a way to manage their contractors and subcontractors from a central location.

Navigator is comparable to existing lock systems, where installation is concerned, Consalvi said. For instance, Navigator can be installed in place of Kaba Mas' popular CENCON lock, which has been around since 1995 and is the lock most ATMs currently use, Consalvi said.

"Navigator is a simple upgrade from a basic electronic or mechanical lock," Consalvi said. "It fits the same footprint as the original lock. In other words, Navigator is made ready to fit."