EDIT Access psi aug20_v9_PSI_mar15 23/07/2020 18:03 Page 2
Attack of the clones?
A significant number of the cards and tokens used in both residential and commercial access control systems are vulnerable to cloning. Richard Tweedie, product delivery and quality assurance manager at PAC, examines the scale of the issue, outlines the various levels of security available and suggests what to look for in order to mitigate any risk. ontactless access control systems typically store data in cards and tokens, as well as increasingly in mobile phones, however, in some cases these can be cloned. What’s particularly concerning is that, depending on their level of security, it is possible to do this using tools that can be purchased online for as little as £10. As a result, manufacturers are increasingly incorporating advanced encryption into their devices so that they cannot be copied, while also producing access control systems with different levels of security to suit specific applications.
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Motivating factors
There are several reasons why cards and tokens are cloned, ranging from seemingly innocent to totally nefarious. For example, within the
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residential sector it is sometimes done to avoid paying official fees for replacement devices, to allow a friend or relative access, or to simply avoid any immediate hassle if a device is misplaced. Within corporate environments a copy might be used to gain unauthorised entry to property, duplicate access privileges, commit time and attendance fraud, carry out monetary transactions such as cashless catering or transport fares, or to access privileged systems or facilities. It’s now easier and cheaper than ever before to compromise some access control systems. In the earliest days of cards and tokens, radio frequency identification (RFID) 125/153kHz unencrypted technology was the de-facto choice for most manufacturers, and many systems with this technology are still in use. Although it took
ACCESS CONTROL
There are several reasons why cards and tokens are cloned, ranging from seemingly innocent to totally nefarious
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