Keypads For Access Control Tutorial
Keypad readers present huge risks to even the best access systems. If deployed improperly, keypads let people through locked doors almost as if they were unlocked.
However, despite the drawbacks, keypads are still one of the most common choices in access today.
With this note, we examine the weaknesses of keypads, including:
- Revealing Buttons
- Snooping Eyes
- PIN Sharing is Easy
Inside, we offer advice on how to deploy them securely and examine a type of keypad that overcomes glaring weaknesses.
Note: This guide was originally written in 2013 but substantially updated in 2023.
Operation *********
*** ******** ** ******* ** ****** control********. * **** ** **** ******* locked ***** *** **** ****** * valid *********** ****** **** * ****** number ***, ******* * ******** ** numbers.
**** ****** ******* ************ ****** **** user ***** *** ******, ****** ******** Identification ****** (***). ****** *** **** enters * ***** ***********, *** ******* remains ******.
Why *** *******?
** ***** ***** ******* *** ** terrible, *** ** ****** *** ****? The ******* *** ** ***** ************* ** ******** ********** ** ********. There *** ** ***** ** **** to ***, ************ ** ******, *** template ******* ** ******. * **** is ***** ** ****** **** ********** memorized ** ******** ** ***** *********, and ******* **** ** ********.
*** **** ** ******** *********** ******* in * ***** ********* **** ******** to '**********-*****' *******.
The ********
******* ***** *** ** *** ****** and **** **** ****** *******, ******* have **** ***************. ************, ** ***** no ******* ***** ** ****** ** exploit ***** ********. ***** ********** ***** may ** ******, ** **** *****, than ****** ** ***** ************, *** biggest ******** ***:
- ********* *******
- ******** ****
- *** ******* ** ****
*** ******** ***** ******* ***** ****** and ******* *** **** ********* **** the **** ****** ******* ******** *** most ****** *****.
Revealing *******
****** ******* **** *** ******* **** over ****. **** ** * **** problem ******* **** *** ******* ****** to **** ****** *** *** **** typically ******* ***** ** ***.
***** *******
*** ****** ***** *** ******* **** pick ** **** *** ***** **** the ****'* *******.
****** ******** *** **** **** * minutes ** ********** **** **** **** 'secured' ****. ****** *******, **** **** representing * '******' ******, ****** *** potential ************ **** **** ** ********* to * *** *******, *** ****** combinations (*******/*****/********* *******) *** **** ******* to ****** ****.
**** *******
********, **** ** ******* ** *** example *****.
******* ** *****, ****** *** ****** buttons *** *********** ** ******* **** has **** *** **** ****. ** this ****, ******** *** **** ****** combinations ** ************* ***** ** ****** the ******* **** ********** ****:
**** ** ******/********
* ***** ****** ******** ** ******, stickers, ** ******** **** **** * valid *** ***** ** ***** ****:
** *******, ***** ****** *** ****** as * ****** ** ***********. *****, users ******* ******** *** ******** ***** of *** *** ** ***, *** the ***** ** ****** ******* ** the ******* *** ** ****** ** pointless *** **** ************.
Snooping ****
**** **** ******** ** ***** ************ is *** *******, ***** *** ** watched ******** ***** *****.
****** * **** ************ ******* ***** fingers *** *** ****** ***** ******** a ***, **** * ****** ******** can **** *** ******** *** ****. A **** ********** ******** *** **** use ****-***** ****** ** **** '******' thermal ******* ** ***** *** ***** combinations:
PIN ******* ** ****
**** ** '*******' ***** ** ******* a **** *** *********, ***** ******* codes ******** ** * **** ************* almost ********** ** ********. ** *** seem **** ** **** ******** *** an ************ ************, *** ******* * unique *** **** ******* ****** ***** that '****** *******' ** ****.
**** ***** *** ******** ***** ***** and ******* ***** *** ******* ** labels ** ********, ******* ** *** unit ** ***** *****, *** ********* having ********** ****** ***** ** ***:
Configuring ******* *** ** ***********
********** *** ****** ** * ********** may **** ***** ***********. *******, *** communication ******** ****** ** **** ******* for **** *****, *** ********* ********* without ***** ********* ** *** ** incorporate ****** *******.
** * ******, ************* ****** ****** can ** **********, **** **** *********** requiring *-***, *-***, ** **-*** ******. Generally, *********** ******* *** *********** *** these ********, *** *** ***** ****** needed **** **** ********* ** ***** Keypad ****** ** ****.
OSDP *******
*** ** *** '************' ******* ** OSDP ** **** ****** ******* *** communicate ****** ** ************ (*** *********) ASCII *******.
*** ******* ** *** **** ******** defining **** (*.**) ** ***** *****:
Steps ** ******** ****** **********
******* ********* *** ****** ********** *** minimize *** ******** **** **** *******. The ***** *******:
***** *** ******** *****
**** **** ****, *****, *** **** 'temporary' ******* **** ****. ********** ******* inside ** ****** ********** *** ****, but ********** ********** *** *******, ******* them ***** **** * **** ******* (rubbing ******* ** *******), *** ********** the ******* *** ****** *** **** will ** * **** *** ** preserving ********.
*******, *** *** ********** ****** ******* in *********** **** *** ********* ****** by ***** ********** ***** **** *********** cards ** **********.
********* ****** ****
*** ** *** ******* ******** ** keypads ** **** *** *********** ***** change. **** ****, *** ****'* ***** of ************** ** **** *** ****** of ****** *****.
*** **** *** **** ************* ****** of ********* ***** ******* ** **** is ** ****** **** *********. *** frequency ** ******* ******* ** *** population ** *****. *** ******* **** less **** *** ****, ******** ***** yearly ***** ******* *** ***** ** users' *****.
*********** **************
******* *** ****** ** ******* ** keypad ******** ** ** ******* **** with **** **** *** **********. *** example, ********* ***** ** ***** **** credential ***** *** *** ************ ******* that ******* ****/****** ***** *** ****** codes *** ** ************ ****. ** examine ***** ******** *********** ******** ** our*****-****** ************** ******.
*******, *** ******* *** ****** ********** factors ********* ** ********** **** ** credential ******* ******** *** *******/*********** ********* credentials.
Use ******** *******
**** ******* *** **** ****** **** others. * ******* ****** '******** ****' or '****** ****' ** *** ******* numerical ****** ** * *********** "*-*,*" orientation *** ******* ********** *** ****** every **** **** *** ****. *** randomness ********* *** '****** ****' ************* and ****** *********** **** ***** *** buttons. *** ****** ***** *** ***** below:
*** ********* ** ***** ***** ** the ********** *********** ** ****** **** time * **** ******* ** * code, ***** ****** ** ****** ****** directly ** ***** ** *** ****. However, **** *** ****** (~$*** - $1,400 ******** ** types) *** *** ****** ********* ** the ****** ******.
Keypads *******
***** ******* ****** * ****** ****** for **** **** ******, **** *** keypad-only ******* *** ********* *****. ******* are ********* * ****** ********** ****** if ***** *** ****, ** *** method (*** *****), ** **** *** used *** ************ ***** ***** ******** is ********** (**** ************ ***** ** shared ******* *****.)
** ****** ** *** *** **** of ****** *********** ******** ** ***** keypad ***. ********** ****** ******* *********** ****, *** '*****' ***** ******** ***** preferring ******* ***** **** ******* ***** minor *******, ********* ** *****, ********** at **** *%:
*******, ****** ****** ***** ** ** the ****, ******* **% ** *** favorite ****** ********** ********** **** **** years ***** *** *********** ** ****. Due ** *** **** ** ****** access, ** ****** *** ******** ***** to ******** *** *******.
[****: **** ***** *** ********** ******* in **** *** ************* ******* ** 2023.]
** **********/****** **** ** ****** ******** relay *** ***** *********** *** ******* keypad.