Anti-Hack Access Card Shields Tested

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
•Published May 26, 2017 16:00 PM

******* **** ****** ******* **** *********** ****** ** becoming * *** ********, ********** ************ ******* *** **** ******* ******. ******** ******** ***** **** *** keep ***** **** ******* ******, ** we ****** ******* ******** ** *** them ** *** ****, *********:

  • **** ******** '******** ******'
  • ***** *** **** **** *******
  • **** *** ***** ****** **** ******
  • ********-**** ******** ****

** ****** **** ****** **** ********* products ** *** ***** *** ********* the ****, **** * ********** ******. Catch *** **** *** **** ***** inside.

Key **** ********

*** ******* ******* *** ********* ******** about **** *******:

  • *** *****/**** **** ******* **** *** most ********* ******* ** *** ******** we ******.
  • ********* *** ****** **** ** *********. Only ********* ********* *** **** *** still ***** *** **** ** ** energized *** ******** ****.
  • *** *** ***** *** **** ********* to ****** **** **.** ***.  *** higher ********* ****** *** * ****** time ******* ******* ****-**-***** ************, *** that **** ******** **** ***** ********* more *********.
  • *** **** ****** ********, **** *** intermittently ** **** ********* ***** *****, but ********** ***** *** ***** ** periodically ********.
  • **** ***** ** *** ******/****** ******* shield ************* ********. ****** ****** *****/****** range ******* *** ****** *** ****-******* shielding ******* **** *** ** ********* for ******* *******.

** *** ***** *** ******** *****, we ******* ***** ******** ** ******.

RFID ********* **** *****

** *** ***** *****, ** **** through *** **** ***** ** ******* we ******, **** *** ********** **** effective ******** ***** *** *****/**** *******:

FIPS-201 ***** **** ****** ****** - ~$** ****

** ***** ** ******* ******, *** shield ******** *** **** ************* *********** was ********-*** ********* **** ********** ****** *** ******* "******** **** **** from ************ ********."

*** **** ***** **** ***** ** only ********* ****.  ***** *** *** happen **** *** **** ** *** holder ******* ** *** ******** ***** shield *** ********* ** *** ******, but ** *** '****' *********** **** of *** **** ***** *** ******, scans ******** ********, ** *** ********* a ****** ************ ********, *** ******** of *** ****.  *** ****** ******* only **% ** *** ***** ** this *************, ****** ***% **** ********.

******* ****** ***** *** ******** **** as ******* ** ******, **** **** commonly **** ** **** **** *** exposed, ********** **** ****** ***.  **** makes *** **** ***** ** **** holder ** ** ****** ********** ****** dubious.

Paper/Foil ******* - ~$* ****

*** **** ****** * ********** ****** - *** ** *** ***** ********* and '******' ******** ********* *** ****.***** ~$* ****-***** ***** *********** **** ********* ** ******** ***** cold.

** ***** ** ***********, *** ******* stopped ***** **** ******* *** ******* **** *********% ** ******** *** **** *** kHz *** **.** *** *****. ** general, *** ******* ********** ******* ******** of *** ****, ***** ***** * rouge ****** *** ****** *********** **** to ******** *** **** *********.

** ****, *** **** **** * new, *********, ******** ******, *** *** lightweight ***** ************ ** *** ****** to **** ** **** ***** **** days ** ******* ***.

Anti ******* ****** - ~$**

*** '******* **********' ****** ** * purpose ********* '******** ******' *** *** **** *********** ****** either.  ***** *** ******* ****** "**** your ****** ** ****** ***** ** RFID-Blocking ********** ******** ****** ****** ******* from ***********", *** ******* ***** **** scanning *** *** ***** **** *** wallet ****** *** ******* **** *** thinner **** ***** *** ******.

*********, *** ****** ******* ***** **** the *******/**** ***** **** ***** *** reader *** ******, *** ************ ***** still ********.

*** ********* **** - **.** *** scanning ** *** **** ** *** wallet ************* *** *******, *** *** wallet *** **********.

Aluminum **** - ~$* *** ****

**** *** ****** *** *** **** to *** ********* *********, **** ****** household ********* *** ** **** **** cheaply?  ** ****** ****** ********-***** ******** duty ******** ****, **** * ***** thickness ** ***** *.* **** *****.  In *** ****, ******** **** **** 5 **** (****** ******) ** **** was *** ** ********* ******. ** took * **** * **** ****** shielding *** ********** ****** ** ***** 100% ** ********* *****.

** ***** ** **********, *** **** was *** ***** ****** *** **** easily, ****** *** ******** *** * temporary ****** ** ****.

Migration **** **** *** *** ***** *******

** ***** ** *** ******** ****** ****** ******* ********* *****, *** **** ** ******* *********** is ***** ** ***********, **** *** 125 *** *****.  ** *****:

"*** **** *****, *** **** was ********* ** *** ***** ** warrant ******** *****, *******, *** ********* of ***** **** ******* *** ******* and ********* *** *****. ******** ******** should *** ******** *** ********** ** getting ************ ********** *** '**** ****' 125 *** ***** ** **** ** getting '*** ****' ********* ********** **** cut ** *** ******** ** *** box ****** *****."

*** ***** ***********, **** ********* *** play ** ********* **** ** ****** copying *********, ********** ***** *** '********' method ** ****** ** **.** *** cards ** ******. ** *** ****** options, *** **** ********* ******* **** among *** ********, *** *** **** to ****** **** ******** ***** *** readers.

*******, *** ********** ** ******* ** a ********* *** ** *******. ***** using * ***** ****** ** ****** cards ** ***********, **** **** *** likely **** ** ***** ******** ***, and ******** *********** ****** ** ********. 

Comments (5)
JE
Jim Elder
•May 29, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Unfortunately, it still takes some action on the part of the cardholder to shield his/her card. Unless there is a personal motive, my experience tells me that any of the solutions would be successful in a full deployment . One of the big benefits of a non-contact technology is that you don't have to take the card out of your wallet or purse. Using any of these would eliminate this benefit.  

A related question. Have you tried two cards back to back? With the same card number? Different numbers? Different formats?

(1)
JE
Jim Elder
•May 30, 2017
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Jim Elder

I'm sorry, I meant any of the solutions would would NOT be successful.  Also, as a designer, I can  no longer recommend prox. I think mobile credentials are the way of the future.

I can envision a time when physical card readers will be a thing of the past. 

Avatar
Blake Murphy
•May 30, 2017

Thanks, there is much food for thought in this article as cheap scanners become more available & our expensive "shielded" wallets become less suitable

TC
Thrax Cui
•Jun 01, 2017

Shouldn't higher frequency gives you shorter wavelength? And longer wavelength harder to block?

Is the following statement wrong oder?

"The higher wavelength signal has a harder time passing through line-of-sight obstructions, but that same property also makes shielding more effective."

(1)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
•Jun 01, 2017
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Thrax Cui

Actually, I misused 'wavelength' there, it should be 'frequency', as you point out. Thanks for catching that, changed!