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Is key control still necessary in 2025? While digital solutions are transforming security, managing physical keys is as important as ever, no matter your industry. Here are 20 statistics that demonstrate why:
Traditional Keys Remain Prevalent
1. 79% of educational institutions and hospitals use mechanical locks, and 76% use electronic locks. (Campus Safety)2. Mechanical lock use only declined by 1%, but key management system use dropped from 45% to 36%. (Campus Safety)
3. 76% of multifamily professionals surveyed use traditional keys exclusively at their properties. (KeyTrak)
4. 81% of property managers using traditional keys don’t have plans to implement smart locks. (KeyTrak)
Takeaways
Even though smart locks are on the rise, traditional keys remain common. What’s concerning is that even though organizations still use mechanical locks, use of electronic key management systems is declining, creating a dangerous security gap. If your organization is transitioning to smart locks, don’t forget about the physical keys that still exist within your facilities.
Property Crime Is Costly
5. From 2020 to 2025, 20% of nonresidential burglaries happened during the day, and 23% occurred at night. (FBI)
6. Despite more incidents happening at night, the average value stolen during daytime nonresidential burglaries was higher: $124,621 vs. $98,825. (FBI)
7. From 2020 to 2025, more residential burglaries happened during the day (29%) than at night (23%). (FBI)
8. Daytime residential burglaries are also more costly than nighttime burglaries: $151,368 vs. $142,743. (FBI)
Takeaways
Whether you manage apartment communities or business facilities, these figures reveal a critical insight: Daytime burglaries happen frequently and often yield higher-value losses. For residential properties, daytime incidents occur more often than nighttime break-ins.
While burglars may use various entry methods, proper key control eliminates one common vulnerability. By implementing a key tracking system with a verifiable audit trail, you not only deter theft but also limit your liability exposure if a breach occurs. This extra layer of protection helps safeguard your people, property, and reputation.
Security Gaps Persist
9. When asked how often they conduct site assessments to identify access control vulnerabilities, 11% of organizations said every two to three years, and 7% said never. (Campus Safety)
10. Almost 1 in 10 people use the same four-digit PIN: 1234. (ABC News)
11. 48% of companies say maintaining consistent security and compliance across all sites is their biggest workplace challenge. (Envoy)
12. Americans spend an average of 17 hours annually searching for lost items like keys. (Shane Co.)
13. The average car dealership loses five keys per month, with an average key replacement cost of $350. That’s $1,750 every month and $21,000 every year! (TrueSpot/AutoSuccess)
14. 60% of cybersecurity breaches involve the human element. (Verizon)
15. 33% of companies manage over 50% of their operations manually. (Envoy)
Takeaways
Human error is one of your biggest security vulnerabilities. Whether it's team members using "1234" as their PIN, misplacing keys, or skipping security protocols, these mistakes add up. And if you're managing operations manually, those challenges only multiply. Every lost key is a potential security breach and a hit to your bottom line. An electronic key management system helps you reduce these errors — protecting your assets, productivity, and profits.
Insider Threats Pose Significant Risks
16. 71% of organizations feel at least moderately vulnerable to insider threats. (Gurucul)
17. Nearly half (48%) of organizations reported that insider attacks increased over a 12-month period. (Gurucul)
18. 61% experienced six or more insider attacks in a year. (Gurucul)
19. The most common estimated remediation cost range, reported by 32% of respondents, is $100,000 to $499,000. (Gurucul)
20. The second most common estimated remediation cost, reported by 29% of respondents, is around $1 million. (Gurucul)
Takeaways
While insider threat conversations typically revolve around cybersecurity, don't overlook physical security measures like key control. Employees and contractors with keys to your facilities can access sensitive areas and assets, creating vulnerabilities.
Electronic key management systems help mitigate these risks by tracking who has which keys and when they're used. With potential remediation costs climbing to six figures or more, effective key control is a vital part of your overall security strategy.
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Why Key Control Matters for Your Organization
Physical keys aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. No matter your industry, you can’t afford to neglect your key control strategy. Implementing an electronic key control system is an investment that helps you protect physical assets, close security gaps, and hold users accountable.
