NFC For Access Control Tutorial

Published Jan 23, 2024 16:42 PM

High-frequency (13.56 MHz) and mobile credentials are gaining popularity for access control using NFC. But how does NFC work for access control?

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With major improvements in the last decade (see IPVM's NFC For Access Control 2012 for comparison), NFC is gaining ground (related, see NFC Is Better Than BLE For Mobile Access).

In this report, we examine NFC technology, its background, and its use for access control.

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Executive *******

***** *** (**.** ***, ****, ******, Desfire) ***********, ***** *** ****** **** in ****** *******, ***** ****** ********, better **** ******** ******, *** **************** than ***-********* (*** *** ****) ***********, their ********* ** *********** ** **** architecture, ***** *****'* ***** ******** *** capabilities, ******* ******* *********** ** ********* attacks.

*** *** *-****** ***** ** *** Wall ****** ******* ** *** *** works *** ** **** *** ****** payment:

NFC *** **** ***

***** *** *** *** ******** *** use ** ****** ******* ******* **** the **** ******, **** *********** ** essentially ****, ** *** ** **** ubiquitous ** ****** *** ****-********* *********** (i.e., **.*****).

*****'* ******* ****** ********* ******* **** NFC *** *** ******* ***** ****** may *** ***** ******* ***, *** a ******* ****** ** ******* ****** do *** ******* *** (*.*., ******'* ****** ****** ********** ****** ************ ***** ****** ******* *** *** or ***).

Near ***** ************* (***) **********

*** ** * *** ** ************* protocols **** ******* *** ********** ******* to *********** ****** * ****** ** each *****. *** ********* ***** *** use ** *********** ******* ******* *** smartphone-based ************, **** ********** *** ***** for ****** ******* ************.

******** ** ***** ******** ************ **** RFID *** *********, *** *** ******* advantages *** ***********, ********* *** *****, security, *** ****. ***** **** ******** over ****** *********, *** ** ******** for ****** *********. *********, ***** *** its ************ **** ****** ******, ***** the ********** *** ***** ** ***** NFC ******. *** **** ** *** vs. *********, ****** ** ****** **** *** *** Mobile ******.

*** ***** **** *** *** **********: chip *** *******. *** ******* ****** wireless **** *** ****** ******** ******* the ******* *** *** ***. *** chip ****** *** **** *** *********** various ******** *** ********* ********* ******* the ******* *** *** ***. *** chip ** ********* ******* ** *****, where ******* ** *** **** ** required (**. ****** *****), *** ** other *****, ******** ****** *** ****.

IPVM Image

*** **** ******* ** ** *********** way ** ************* **** ****** ***** and *********** *** **** *** *** NFC. ** **** *** ****, ***** would **** * ****** **** * chip ******.

NFC ********* ************

********* ***** ** **** **********, *** operates ** * ********* ** **.** MHz **** ******* ************* *********, ********* ISO/IEC *****. ***** ********* ****** *** devices' **************** *** ********* **** ******** and ******** ******** **********.

** *** **** ** *** ********** is ********* ********. **** ******* ******** two ***** (** *** *** *** reader) ******** ** *************** ***** **** brought **** ***** ********* (The ***** ******* **** *** ***** transfer *** ******* *** *********.

IPVM Image

** ****'* ******* (********* ******* **** **** ***** ******** 2023), ** *******, *** ******* *** credentials *** **** **** * ****** in *****, **** **** *** *********** format ****** **** **** * ****** in *****.

*** *** **** ************ ********* ******** the ********** ** *** *************** ***** generated ******* *** ****** *** ******* devices. ***** ***-********* (*** ***) **** also ******** ** *** **** *********, NFC ****** * ****** **** ******** speed ** ** ** *** ****/* compared ** LF ****. *** ******** ****** ***** NFC ** **** **-*********** **** ********, which ******** ********** ****** ***** ***********. The **** ******** ***** ** ******** for ************ ********* ***** **************, **** secure ****** *******.

NFC ** ******** ** ****** *******

**** ** *** ******* **** ***** support *** (**.** ***), **** * handful **** ********** ** **** (*** kHz ****). **** ******* ******* **** LF **** *** ***. ***** ****** half ** *********** *** ** **** credentials (******* / *** *** ****** ******* Credential ***** **********), *** ** *** **** ******** used ** *** ****** ******* *******.

***** *** **** * *********** ****** in *** **** ****** (****** *** ****** ******* ****), **** **** *** ******* ********* NFC, ******* ******** ******* *** *** have *** ***** **.********* ** *********, ***** *** **** *** *********** released ***** **** **** ******* ***.***** *** ******** ******** ** ***** *********** ***** ****, with ***** ****** ********* ****.

***** **** ** *** *** *********** are ********** ****, ** **** (*** kHz) **** *********** ***'* *** ***, and *** ** ******* ** **.** MHz ***********.

Frequency *** ************* *********

*** ******** ** * ***** ********* of **.** ***, * ****** ******** frequency *** ****************. *** ************* *********, primarily ***** *****/*** *****, ******* *** ******* ********* * connection, *** **** ******** *****, *** security ********. *** *****, ******************, *** ***** ** *** ***** standards.

*** ***** ********* *** * **** component ** *** *** ******:

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  • *** ******* ********** ************* *** ***** signal *********
  • **** ***** * *** *, **** with ********* ************* ********* *** ********** methods.

**** * ***** *** **** ******** used *** ****** *******, **** ********** support. **** * ***** ***** ****** performance ** ************ **** ********** ************ but ** *** **** ********** ******* like **** * *****.

***** ***** *** ***** ********* **** outline *** **********, **** *** ***** (vicinity *****) *** *** ***** (***-*** peer-to-peer *************), *** ***** ** *** primary ******** **** ** ****** *** NFC *********.

Cost ** *** *****

*** ***** **** ** ****** ******* and ******* **** *******~$***~$**.***** ***** ******* ******, *** *****, *** ***** ********* **** *****.

**** *********** **** **** ** *******, these *** ***** *** ************ ** a ****** ****** ****** (***), ***** increases *** ****. ***'* *** *** iClass ** *** **** ***** ******* *** ~$**, ***** ****** ** *** **** of ********** ***** ***********.

*** ***** **** ** *********** **** far **** **** ***** ** *******, typically ** *** ***** ** **** of *****. * *** ********** ** cost ** ****** ** ******* ***.

Active **. ******* ***

*** ******** ** *** *****: ****** and *******. ** ****** ****, **** devices ******** ***** *** *************** ***** to ******** ****. **** **** ** commonly **** ** **********-**-********** ** **********-**-*** communication. *** ******* **** ******* ****** mood ******* * ***** ****** (***** connection ** *******), ******** ***** ** readers, ***, *** ****** *******.

** *** ***** ****, ******* **** involves ** ****** ****** (**** * reader) ********** * ***** **** ****** a ******* ****** (**** * ***), which **** ********* *** ***** ** send **** ****. **** **** ** common ** ****** *******, ***** ******* tags (*** ***** ** ****) *** energized ** ******* (****** ***).

Advanced ********** ********* (***)

*** ********** ***** ******** *** *** secure **** ************. *** ** * symmetric *** ********** ********, ***** ***** the **** *** ** **** ** encrypt *** ******* *** ****. **** encryption ****** ** **** ** ****** control ******* *** *** ***** *** security. *********** **** **** *** ******* have ****** **********, ****** **** **** secure **** *********** ** ****. *********, the *********** **** *** ******* ******* to **** * ****** ****** ****** (SAM) ** ******* *** ********* *** validation.

Public *** ************** (***)

**** *** ******* ****** ***, ***** uses * **** ** **** (* public *** *** * ******* ***) for ********** *** **********. *** ****** key, ** *** **** *******, ** publicly ********* *** ** **** *** encrypting ****. *** ******* *** ** kept ****** ** *** ***** *** is **** ** ******* ****. *** is ********** ********* ** ********** ************ data ************ *** ******* ** *** cards.

*** ******* **** *** *** ******* private **** *** ********** ** ********** or ***-********** ********* *******, ***** ********* can ******* *********** ***** ** ***** keys. (************ ****** *** ********** ******** (***) Algorithm *******)

*** *********** **** *** ***, **** Seos *** *******, ******* ***** **** behind **********, ****** **** ********* ******* a ********* **** ****. *** ********** is *** ** *** ******* *** these *********** *** *** *******, ********** PKIs. (**** * *************, ****** ***** take ******** ** ***** ** ***** force *****,********* ** ********.) ***** *** ********** ******** ****** protection ******* ***** ***** ******* *** NFC ***********, **'* ********* ** ********* that ***** *** *********** ******* **** attackers ***** *******. ***** ******* ****-******* attacks, ***** ****** ************** ***** ****** than *** ************* *********.

Handshake ********** ** ***

**** ** *** **** ** ********* to * ******, *** ***** **** is *** ********** ** * *********. The ****** ***** * ****** ** the **** ** ********* * ************* channel. **** *** **** ********, *** reader ************* *** **** ***** *** stored ********** ****.

* ****** ****** ** *** ********** is *** *********-******** ********. *** ****** sends * ****** ********* ** *** card, ***** *** **** **** ***** with *** ****** *** ** ********* a ********. ****** *** **** ***, the ****** ******** *** **** *********** and ******** *** *******. ** **** match, *** **** ** *************.

***** ********** **************, * ****** ******* is *********** *** **** ********. **** channel ** ********* ** ********** *********, ensuring **** *** **** *********** (**** as ****** ***********) ** ****** **** eavesdropping ** *********.

Handshake ******** ** ** ****

** **** (*.*., ****) ******* ***** do *** ******* ******** ********* *********. The ************* ** **** ***************, **** the ****** ******** * ****** **** powers *** ***, ******* ** ** transmit *** **** **** ** *** reader. **** **** ** * ******* handshake *** ** * ******** ********, as ***** ** ******* ************ ** authentication ** *** ***’* ****.

** **** (*.*., ****) ******* *** more *********** ** ************* ******* * secure ************* *******, ****** *****, *** simpler **********. ** ************ ****** *** potentially ******* *** **** *********** ******* the *** *** ****** ******* ******* to ** ** ***** *********.

Mobile ****** *** *****

****** *********** **** **** ****** *** passive *** *****. **** **** ********** allows **** ** *** ** ******* (active) **** *********** **** ******* *** tags *** ** **** (*******) *** transactions **** *** ****** ***** *** access *******. **** ****** *** ******* NFC ************* ** *********** ** **** for ****** *******, **** ********* **** iLOQ ***** ****** *** ** ***** their ***** *** ****** **** *** using ******* *** ** * **********. (see****** ************ **** **** *** $*** Million ****** *******)

*** *********** ******** *** *** *********** ******* *** ****, ********* ** various *********. ******* ** *****,******* **** ** *** ******** *** ** ***** *** ****** device.

IPVM Image

PACS ************ ****** ****** ********

***** *** *********** *** ***** ****** security **** ** ****, **** ***** of ******** ** ******* ** *********** transactions ******* *** ********** *** *** reader. ******* **** ******* **** ** controllers ** ****** *** ********** *** grant ****** *** ******** ** *** pair *** ********** **** **** *** Wiegand ****. ** ****, **** ***** systems ********** ** ********* *******. (****** ******** ******* ***** **.** *** SE / **** ** ********** ** Cracked *** *** *** ********* ******,*** *** ****-********* **** ******* *** Vulnerable ** ********* *******)

**** ****** *** ****** ******* ****** **** **** *********.

Comments (7)
Avatar
Travis Willis
Jan 23, 2024

********* ***** **! ***** *** **** to ******.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jan 23, 2024

**** ******** ***** **. * ***** have ****** ** *** *** ********* thing ** ********** **** ******* ** use ** * ****** ***** ** that ***** *** ****** *** *** capability ** *** ****** ** ******* which ****** *** ** ** **** by ****. ** * ****** *** can *** ** ** *** *** credential ** ******* *** **** ** use ****** *** ** ******.

(1)
MJ
Marcin Jakubaszek
Jan 23, 2024

***********, **** *** ** **** **** HID **** ****, ** *** *** NFC ** ***** *** *** * 3rd ***** ******* *** * ******** cost *** * ****** *** ***. Maybe **** *** **** **** ***** 3rd ***** ****** *********

(1)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jan 23, 2024
IPVMU Certified

***** **** *** **** **** ***** 3rd ***** ****** *********

* ***** **** ************, ***** ****** uses *** ***** ******* ** *** parent ****** ********. *** ***** ***** individual *********, *** ***** ****** *** Apple ******* ****** *********, *** ***. (Even **** *** ******* *** ****.)

** ******* *** ******* *********** ******* ***** ****** ********* ** *** ****** * ******** point ** ********** *** ******* ******* access ********* ** ****.

MK
Mert Karakaya
Jan 24, 2024
IPVMU Certified

** **#*, **** ** ****** ****.*****'* **** *** ********* **** ** "****** *** ****, read ******** **** ******* **** ****, and **** **** ** ******** ****." Therefore, *** ********** *** ****** ************* ** **** *** ******** *** *******.

*******,***** **** *** ***** *** *****-***** host **** *********. ***** *** **** ** ******* NFC ****/*********** **** *** ******* **** to *** ***** ******, ****** ************* ********* ***** * ******* ***********. ********** *** ********** ** ********** their **** *** **** **** ********* using *****'* *** **** *** ****** into *** ***** ****** *********.

(3)
Avatar
Travis Willis
Jan 24, 2024

********* ************ | ******* ***** *** *** access ******* ******.********* ************** ***** *** **** *** * believe. *** **** ** **** **** done ******* ** ****?

MK
Mert Karakaya
Jan 24, 2024
IPVMU Certified

****** *** *******, ******. ** **** interviewed ****, ***** **** *** *** read ************* ** ****** ******* ** unlock ***** **** (********* ************ **** **** *** $*** Million ****** *******).