Anti-Hack Access Card Shields Tested

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on May 26, 2017

Keeping your access control card information secure is becoming a big priority, especially since cheaper copiers can hack details easily. Multiple products claim they can keep those RFID details hidden, so we bought several examples to put them to the test, including:

  • RFID Blocking 'Security Wallet'
  • Paper and Foil Card Sleeves
  • FIPS 201 Metal Shield Card Holder
  • Standard-duty Aluminum Foil

We tested four common RFID shielding products to see which one performed the best, with a surprising result. Catch our test and demo video inside.

******* **** ****** ******* card *********** ****** ** becoming * *** ********, especially ************ ******* *** **** details ******. ******** ******** ***** they *** **** ***** RFID ******* ******, ** we ****** ******* ******** to *** **** ** the ****, *********:

  • **** ******** '******** ******'
  • ***** *** **** **** Sleeves
  • **** *** ***** ****** Card ******
  • ********-**** ******** ****

** ****** **** ****** RFID ********* ******** ** see ***** *** ********* the ****, **** * surprising ******. ***** *** test *** **** ***** inside.

[***************]

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

*** ******* ******* *** following ******** ***** **** shields:

  • *** *****/**** **** ******* were *** **** ********* shields ** *** ******** we ******.
  • ********* *** ****** **** is *********. **** ********* obscuring *** **** *** still ***** *** **** to ** ********* *** transmit ****.
  • *** *** ***** *** more ********* ** ****** than **.** ***. *** higher ********* ****** *** a ****** **** ******* through ****-**-***** ************, *** that **** ******** **** makes ********* **** *********.
  • *** **** ****** ********, they *** ************** ** even ********* ***** *****, but ********** ***** *** still ** ************ ********.
  • **** ***** ** *** copier/reader ******* ****** ************* strength. ****** ****** *****/****** range ******* *** ****** and ****-******* ********* ******* that *** ** ********* for ******* *******.

** *** ***** *** sections *****, ** ******* these ******** ** ******.

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

** *** ***** *****, we **** ******* *** four ***** ** ******* we ******, **** *** surprising **** ********* ******** being *** *****/**** *******:

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

** ***** ** ******* claims, *** ****** ******** the **** ************* *********** was ********-*** ********* **** ********** ****** *** ******* "protects **** **** **** unauthorized ********."

*** **** ***** **** claim ** **** ********* true. ***** *** *** happen **** *** **** of *** ****** ******* by *** ******** ***** shield *** ********* ** the ******, *** ** the '****' *********** **** of *** **** ***** the ******, ***** ******** normally, ** *** ********* a ****** ************ ********, the ******** ** *** time. *** ****** ******* only **% ** *** reads ** **** *************, versus ***% **** ********.

******* ****** ***** *** commonly **** ** ******* ID ******, **** **** commonly **** ** **** with *** *******, ********** side ****** ***. **** makes *** **** ***** of **** ****** ** an ****** ********** ****** dubious.

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

*** **** ****** * surprising ****** - *** of *** ***** ********* and '******' ******** ********* the ****.***** ~$* ****-***** ***** sleeves**** **** ********* ** stopping ***** ****.

** ***** ** ***********, the ******* ******* ***** from ******* *** ******* **** *********% ** ******** *** both *** *** *** 13.56 *** *****. ** general, *** ******* ********** covered ******** ** *** card, ***** ***** * rouge ****** *** ****** penetration **** ** ******** the **** *********.

** ****, *** **** used * ***, *********, unripped ******, *** *** lightweight ***** ************ ** not ****** ** **** up **** ***** **** days ** ******* ***.

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

*** '******* **********' ****** of * ******* ********* '******** ******' *** *** **** performance ****** ******. ***** the ******* ****** "**** your ****** ** ****** built ** ****-******** ********** prevents ****** ****** ******* from ***********", *** ******* shows **** ******** *** kHz ***** **** *** wallet ****** *** ******* when *** ******* **** faced *** ******.

*********, *** ****** ******* scans **** *** *******/**** bulky **** ***** *** reader *** ******, *** intermittent ***** ***** ********.

*** ********* **** - 13.56 *** ******** ** any **** ** *** wallet ************* *** *******, and *** ****** *** successful.

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

**** *** ****** *** the **** ** *** shielding *********, **** ****** household ********* *** ** used **** *******? ** tested ****** ********-***** ******** duty ******** ****, **** a ***** ********* ** about *.* **** *****. In *** ****, ******** less **** * **** (folded ******) ** **** was *** ** ********* shield. ** **** * full * **** ****** shielding *** ********** ****** to ***** ***% ** attempted *****.

** ***** ** **********, raw **** *** *** worst ****** *** **** easily, ****** *** ******** use * ********* ****** at ****.

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

** ***** ** *********** ****** ****** ******* Migration *****, *** **** ** copying *********** ** ***** in ***********, **** *** 125 *** *****. ** noted:

"*** **** *****, *** **** *** ********* as *** ***** ** warrant ******** *****, *******, the ********* ** ***** easy ******* *** ******* and ********* *** *****. Security ******** ****** *** consider *** ********** ** getting ************ ********** *** 'high ****' *** *** cards ** **** ** getting '*** ****' ********* mechanical **** *** ** any ******** ** *** box ****** *****."

*** ***** ***********, **** shielding *** **** ** important **** ** ****** copying *********, ********** ***** the '********' ****** ** moving ** **.** *** cards ** ******. ** our ****** *******, *** most ********* ******* **** among *** ********, *** far **** ** ****** than ******** ***** *** readers.

*******, *** ********** ** sleeves ** * ********* fix ** *******. ***** using * ***** ****** to ****** ***** ** inexpensive, **** **** *** likely **** ** ***** constant ***, *** ******** replacement ****** ** ********.

Comments (5)

Jim Elder

05/28/17 06:54pm

*************, ** ***** ***** **** ****** ** *** **** ** the ********** ** ****** ***/*** ****. ****** ***** ** * personal ******, ** ********** ***** ** **** *** ** *** solutions ***** ** ********** ** * **** ********** . *** of *** *** ******** ** * ***-******* ********** ** **** you ***'* **** ** **** *** **** *** ** **** wallet ** *****. ***** *** ** ***** ***** ********* **** benefit.

* ******* ********. **** *** ***** *** ***** **** ** back? **** *** **** **** ******? ********* *******? ********* *******?

Jim Elder

In reply to Jim Elder | 05/29/17 07:14pm

*'* *****, * ***** *** ** *** ********* ***** ***** NOT ** **********. ****, ** * ********, * *** ** longer ********* ****. * ***** ****** *********** *** *** *** of *** ******.

* *** ******** * **** **** ******** **** ******* **** be * ***** ** *** ****.

Thumbnail msnedit

Blake Murphy

05/29/17 06:55pm

******, ***** ** **** **** *** ******* ** **** ******* as ***** ******** ****** **** ********* & *** ********* "********" wallets ****** **** ********

Thrax Cui

06/01/17 03:59pm

*******'* ****** ********* ***** *** ******* **********? *** ****** ********** harder ** *****?

** *** ********* ********* ***** ****?

"*** ****** ********** ****** *** * ****** **** ******* ******* line-of-sight ************, *** **** **** ******** **** ***** ********* **** effective."

Thumbnail pp 5

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Thrax Cui | 06/01/17 04:02pm

********, * ******* '**********' *****, ** ****** ** '*********', ** you ***** ***. ****** *** ******** ****, *******!

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

LifeSafety Power NetLink Vulnerabilities And Problematic Response on May 20, 2019
'Power supplies' are not devices that many think about when considering vulnerabilities but as more and more devices go 'online', the risks for...
Facial Recognition Systems Fail Simple Liveness Detection Test on May 17, 2019
Facial recognition is being widely promoted as a solution to physical access control but we were able to simply spoof 3 systems because they had no...
Maglock Selection Guide on May 16, 2019
One of the most misunderstood yet valuable pieces of electrified hardware is the maglock. Few locks are stronger, but myths and confusion surround...
Milestone XProtect 2019 R1 Tested on May 15, 2019
For the past few years, Milestone has released quarterly software updates XProtect VMS platform. What is new and how much impact do the updates...
Access Control Request to Exit (RTE) Tutorial on May 13, 2019
For access controlled doors, especially those with maglocks, 'Request to Exit', or 'RTE' devices are required to override electrified locks to...
Mining Company Security Manager Interview on May 10, 2019
First Quantum Minerals Limited (FQML) is a global enterprise with offices on 4 continents and operations in 7 countries with exploratory operations...
10 Facial Recognition Providers Review (Secutech) on May 09, 2019
Adding to our 19 Facial Recognition Providers Profiled report from ISC West, IPVM focused on facial recognition technology for our Day 2 coverage...
Proxy Access Control Tested on May 09, 2019
Silicon Valley Access Startup Proxy raised $13.6 Million in May 2019, focusing on mobile physical access control. Beyond the fund raising, Proxy...
Restaurant Security Manager Interview on May 06, 2019
Wright’s Gourmet House in Tampa, Florida has been around for over 50 years. During most of that time, there were no security measures in place. Now...
Registration Closed - Spring 2019 IP Networking Course on May 02, 2019
Register now for the Spring 2019 IP Networking course here - Closed. Last chance now.   This is the only networking course designed specifically...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Access Control Job Walk Guide on May 22, 2019
Significant money can be saved and problems avoided with an access control job walk if you know what to look for and what to ask. By inviting...
ASCMA / Monitronics Declares Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on May 22, 2019
Monitronics is entering into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, also called Ascent Capital Group Inc., aka ASCMA, aka Brinks Home Security,...
US Considers Sanctions Against Hikvision and Dahua on May 22, 2019
The US government is considering blacklisting "up to 5" PRC surveillance firms, including Hikvision and Dahua, Bloomberg reported, with human...
Dahua USA Celebrates 5 Years of Errors on May 21, 2019
Dahua USA is, in their own words, 'celebrating' 5 years in North America or as trade magazine SSN declared: Dahua Technology finds success in...
Axis ~$150 Outdoor Camera Tested on May 21, 2019
Axis has released the latest in their Companion camera line, the outdoor Companion Dome Mini LE, a 1080p integrated IR model aiming to compete with...
Covert Facial Recognition Using Axis and Amazon By NYTimes on May 20, 2019
What if you took a 33MP Axis camera covering one of the busiest parks in the US and ran Amazon Facial Recognition against it? That is what the...
Amazon Ring Public Subsidy Program Aims To Dominate Residential Security on May 20, 2019
Amazon dominates market after market. Quitely, but increasingly, they are doing so in residential security, through a combination of significant...
LifeSafety Power NetLink Vulnerabilities And Problematic Response on May 20, 2019
'Power supplies' are not devices that many think about when considering vulnerabilities but as more and more devices go 'online', the risks for...
Facial Recognition Systems Fail Simple Liveness Detection Test on May 17, 2019
Facial recognition is being widely promoted as a solution to physical access control but we were able to simply spoof 3 systems because they had no...
Inside Look Into Scam Market Research on May 17, 2019
Scam market research has exploded over the last few years becoming the most commonly cited 'statistics' for most industries, despite there clearly...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact