Mercury Security, a global leader in open architecture access control hardware and an HID brand, has released its 2026 Trends in Access Controllers Report, highlighting the growing importance of cybersecurity, interoperability, cloud connectivity and emerging technologies in physical access control infrastructure.
Based on a global survey of 561 physical and cybersecurity professionals, the report found that 78% consider the access controller important or critical to their physical access control system (PACS) strategy, up from 72% in 2025.
Cybersecurity emerged as a significant infrastructure gap, with 32% of respondents saying their current controller systems lack cybersecurity features, compared with 21% in 2025. At the same time, 74% said coordinating cybersecurity and IT requirements has become more complex, while 86% said their organisations are actively working to keep pace with changing cybersecurity and data protection standards.
“Organisations recognise the cybersecurity risks facing connected access control systems, but the infrastructure in place isn’t always keeping pace,” said Steve Lucas, Vice President, Sales, Mercury Security. “As they modernise, users also want to protect existing investments, making interoperability increasingly important.”
Key findings
- Interoperability: 69% identified interoperability as a critical factor when purchasing controllers, while 82% said backward and forward compatibility is important for future infrastructure planning.
- Cloud adoption: Cloud connectivity was cited by 56% as a key purchasing factor, up from 50% in 2025. However, only 41% currently have cloud-enabled controllers, while 26% said cloud enablement is missing from their existing systems.
- AI and advanced security: Behavioural analysis and anomaly detection increased from 44% in 2025 to 56% in 2026. Facial recognition was cited by 60%, while 50% identified predictive security and threat prevention.
- Edge computing: More than 39% are exploring or have adopted edge computing within their security ecosystems.
- Building integration: 41% have integrated controller data with building occupancy and utilisation programmes.
- Mobile credentials: Half of respondents are already using or planning to adopt mobile credentials, while 46% identified mobile credential integration as a factor influencing controller purchases.
The findings indicate that access controllers are increasingly being viewed not simply as hardware, but as part of a long-term security and technology infrastructure strategy. Organisations are seeking to strengthen cybersecurity and reliability while retaining existing investments and preparing their infrastructure for cloud, AI and other emerging technologies.