Locksmith practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q11Which biometric modality analyzes the pattern of blood vessels in the eye?
✓ Correct answer: B. Retinal scanning
Retinal scanning analyzes the unique pattern of blood vessels at the back of the eye. Iris recognition, by contrast, analyzes the colored ring of the eye. Retinal scanning is highly accurate but more intrusive and expensive.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q12Which biometric anti-spoofing technique specifically detects whether a presented fingerprint is from a live finger versus a fabricated replica?
✓ Correct answer: C. Liveness detection (PAD - Presentation Attack Detection)
Liveness detection (Presentation Attack Detection, ISO 30107) uses sensors or algorithms to distinguish a live finger from spoofs such as silicone molds, printed images, or lifted latent prints, protecting against presentation attacks.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q13In an access control system, what is the primary function of the access control panel (controller)?
✓ Correct answer: D. To make the grant/deny decision based on the database of authorized credentials
The access control panel (controller) receives credential data from readers and compares it against its database of authorized credentials and schedules to make the access decision, then signals the door locking hardware accordingly.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q14What is the key difference between an 'online' and an 'offline' access control reader?
✓ Correct answer: A. Online readers communicate in real time with a central controller; offline readers make local decisions using stored data
An online reader continuously communicates with the central access control system for real-time decisions and logging. An offline reader stores its own credential database and makes decisions locally, syncing with the host system periodically.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q15A distributed access control architecture places intelligence primarily:
✓ Correct answer: B. In the individual door controllers, reducing reliance on the server
In a distributed architecture, each door controller has its own processing capability and credential database. This allows the system to continue operating even if communication with the central server is interrupted.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q16What is 'anti-passback' in an access control system?
✓ Correct answer: C. A rule that prevents a credential from being used to enter before it has been used to exit (or vice versa), stopping card sharing
Anti-passback enforces the rule that a credential used to enter a zone cannot be used to enter again until it has been used to exit. This prevents one person from 'passing back' their card to another person waiting outside.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q17What does 'two-man rule' (or dual-custody) mean in access control?
✓ Correct answer: D. Access to a secure area requires two authorized individuals to present valid credentials simultaneously or in sequence
The two-man rule (dual-custody) requires that two separately authorized individuals must each present valid credentials before access is granted. This prevents any single individual from entering a high-security area alone, reducing insider threat risk.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q18An electromagnetic lock (mag-lock) holds a door closed by:
✓ Correct answer: A. Magnetic attraction between an electromagnet and an armature plate
An electromagnetic lock creates a strong magnetic field when energized, attracting a ferromagnetic armature plate mounted to the door. This magnetic attraction holds the door closed. When power is cut, the door is immediately released.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q19An electromagnetic lock is considered 'fail-safe'. What does this mean?
✓ Correct answer: B. It releases (unlocks) if power is lost
A fail-safe lock unlocks when power is removed. Electromagnetic locks are inherently fail-safe because they require continuous power to remain locked. This is important for life-safety (egress) applications.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
Q20An electric strike is typically wired as 'fail-secure'. What does this mean?
✓ Correct answer: C. The door remains locked when power fails
A fail-secure device remains in the secure (locked) state when power is removed. Electric strikes can be wired fail-secure or fail-safe, but the default configuration for security applications is fail-secure to prevent unauthorized entry during a power failure.
Topic: Electronic Access Control
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