Did you know that physical access control systems have known vulnerabilities? One of the most commonly used card readers and card technologies still used today is the 125 kHz proximity card readers and cards.
In the early to mid-’90s, the 125 kHz proximity cards became the standard for cards and readers for access control systems around the world, and during the 1990s and early 2000s, the 26-bit card format dominated the market. The 26-bit format became a default standard for cards, readers, and panels as a vast majority of the access control system could handle this format. As more and more access systems were deployed and proximity cards grew rapidly, many manufacturers of the access control system (OEM) adopted this format for their readers.
Today this format can easily be copied with simple and cost-effective tools like the; Handheld RFID ID Card Copier Key Reader Writer Duplicator. This handheld cloner, as advertised, “is very easy and convenient for daily use, portable size, easy to carry out in your bag”. Unfortunately, some, with limited familiarity with the security industry, have oversimplified the tradeoffs between convenience and security of access control systems.
So why do we need to consider this type of risk in security? One of the biggest reasons companies choose to assess their risk is to protect them against costly and disruptive breaches.
For more information or a security audit, contact us at Fortis Security.
