The Passback Problem

Author: Brian Rhodes, Published on Sep 14, 2016

Every security system has flaws, even high-tech ones. While Electronic Access Control helps keep sensitive areas safe, it is not without weaknesses.

One of the most troubling vulnerabilities is called 'Passback' - the practice of using someone else's credentials to gain entry. In this note, we take a look at the problem and how designers can minimize vulnerabilities, looking at:

  • Passback vs Tailgaiting
  • Software solutions including time limit and reader pattern and flow
  • Other solutions including biometrics, cameras, turnstiles and signange
  • Ignoring it

***** ******** ****** *** *****, **** ****-**** ****. ***** ********** Access ******* ***** **** ********* ***** ****, ** ** *** without **********.

*** ** *** **** ********* *************** ** ****** '********' - the ******** ** ***** ******* ****'* *********** ** **** *****. In **** ****, ** **** * **** ** *** ******* and *** ********* *** ******** ***************, ******* **:

  • ******** ** ***********
  • ******** ********* ********* **** ***** *** ****** ******* *** ****
  • ***** ********* ********* **********, *******, ********** *** ********
  • ******** **

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

The ******* *******

'********' ** *** ********** **** *** '******* ***********', ***** **** the ******* ** *** ****** ******* ******* ** ******-******* *********. Suppose '****** *' ***** ***** ***** *** ****** ******* ********, but '****** *' ** *** ******* ****** **** *** ****. 'Passback' ****** **** '****** *' ***** ***** ***** ** '****** B' ** **** ****** *** **** ******.

**** ******** ** ******* ********** ** ******** * **** *** through ** **** **** ** ** ******* ******, ** ******* your ******** **** ******* ****. ** ****, ** ***** **** the ****** ** *** *********** ****** ** *** *** ** was ********, *** ** ***** ** ***** **** *** ****** has ** ********* ** * ********* ******.

Less ***** **** **********, ***** * *******

** ***** ** ******** *******, ********** ** * '******' ****, ***** ******** ** ********* **** *******.  Many ******** ****** ***** **** ****** *** ** **** **** to ********* *** ****** ******* ******, ***** ********** ********* ****** ignores **. ** ** *******, ******** ** ****** ** ****** with '****' ******* ** **** ****** ********* ** ***** ** avoid ******* ***********.

****** *******, '**********' ***** **** **** * **** *** **** opened ** * **********, ** ** **** **** ** **** more **** *** ********** ** ******* ** ****-*******. ** ******** ** 'passback', '**********' ****** ******** *** *********** ** **** ********** ***********. However '****-********' ********, ********** ***** ** *** '******* *** ****' variety, *** ** **** ** ****** *** '**********' *******. 

*** ****, *** ************* - ****** ******* ********.

Basic ******** *********

** ******* *** ****, ****** ******* ******* ***** ******* '****-********' controls, ***** ********* ********* * *** ** ******** ******* ** credential ***. *** *******:

**** *****:* **** ****** ** **** ** *** **** ****** ***** within * ******* ****** ** ****. ***** **** ********** * decidedly '***-****' ********, ** ** *** ******* ** *********. ****** limiting * **** ** ** **** ** *** **** ****** for * ****** ** * ** * ******* *********** *** convenience ** ********** '*******-****' * **********. *******, **** **** ** control *** ** ************ ** *****, ** *** ******** **** accidentally **** ********* ***** ******* * ****, ****** ********** ** a ************, ** **** **** ***** ********** ****** *** ******* re-credentialing ******* ** *******.

****** ******* *** ****: **** **** ** ******* ******** ********** ***** ****** * logical ******* ****** * ******. *** *******, * ********** **** be **** ** ** '***' ****** ****** ** *** ** used *** ** '**' ********. ******** * ********** ****** ** used ** ***** '******** *' ** '******** *' *** *** first **** ******. **** ****** ** ****-******** ** *** **** comprehensive ** *********** *** *******, *** ** ******** *** **** configuration *** ****** ** ******** ** ****** *** ***** ********** within * ********, **** ***** **** *** ************ ****.

**** ****** *** ****** ********** *** ******** ******** **** ****, but *** ***, ****** ******* ********** ******** ********. *** *****, more ****** *********, ********** ******** ********* ******* ********* ** ********.

Other *********

************ ******** ******** ********* ******** **** **** **** ********.  *** example, ** *** ********* ********* ** ************ *** ********** ******, **** **** ** ******** ***** **** *****, *** **** **** **% ** ***** ********* ********* ***** **** **** one ******** ******:

*** **** ****** '***** *********' ******* ***** ******** *****:

  • **********:* **** *** ** ******* ******** ** ** ********** ***** on ********** ******* ** '*********' ***********. ***** ****** *********** ** ****** ******** features ********* ***** **** *******.
  • *******: ******* ****** ******** ******** ***** ************ ******* ** ****** *** verify ** ****** *** ********* ** ****** ******.
  • **********:*** **** ****** '******' ****** **** ***** **********, ********* *****, or ******** ** ********** ******* **** **** ** ****** ****** entry ** *** ****.
  • *******:*** **** ****** '****' ******* ** ***** **** ********** ** passively ******* *** **** *** *** *** ** ***** ** remind ****** **** ******** *** ****** ******* ****** ** ********** security ********.

Ignoring ************ **** ******

*******, ******* *** ***** ********** ** *** ******* *** ******** the *****. ***** **% ** ********* **** **** ****** ** nothing, ******* ********** ** ** *** ******, ** ** ** *** enough ** * **** ** ******* ***************.

******** ** ****** *** ****** *** **** ******* *** ****, but ***** ** ********** *** *********** ** ********* *** **** invalidate *** ***** ******** **** ******* ***** ********** ****** ******* versus *********** ********** **** *** *****.

 

Comments (7)

Undisclosed #1

09/14/16 04:08pm

**** *******. ** ***** *** ******* *** ****. ** ***** that *** *** ***** *** ***** ******** *** ********* ** synonyms *** **** *********** **** ** **********.

** ***** ****** ***, ********** *** ************ *** ******** *** passback ** ******** *********.

*** *** ********** ** **** ******** ** ** *** **** by *** ** **** ****** ************ ** ******* *** ****** while ********** (** ************) ** **** ******** ** *** ** convenience **** ** * ****** ******.

Thumbnail pp 5

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 09/14/16 04:41pm

* ***** **** *** ******** ******, ***** ** *** *** tailgating ****** (********** - ****** ******* ********) **** ******** *********.

*******, *** ******* ** ******* **** **** ****** *** ** similar (**: *******, **********, *******) ** **** ** ***** *** lines **** * ***. ********** ***** *** ******* ** *** APB ** *********** *********, '**********' ****** *** ************.

** **** ******* **** ********** *** ** ****** ** *** 'antipassback' ******** ***!

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Brian Rhodes | 09/14/16 05:03pm

** ** ************ "***** ******* ***********" ** ***?

Thumbnail pp 5

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 09/14/16 05:13pm

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

Igor Falomkin

AxxonSoft | 09/15/16 05:34am

***** *** *** **** *******. *** ******* *** ** ****** using **** ************. ***** ** ** ****** ******* ********** ******** checks **** **'* ******* **** ***** *** ******* *** ****. I'm **** ********* *** **** ******** ** ********** **** ** our ********. **'* **** **** ******** **** **** *********** ******, may ** **** ** **** ********* ****** ******* ****** **** and **** *** **** ******** ******* **** *********** *******.

Thumbnail skip headshot

Skip Cusack

In reply to Igor Falomkin | 09/19/16 02:20pm

****, *** *** ****** *** ***** **** ********* **************, ****** possession *** ********* **************, ***** ******** **** **** ******? ** so, * *****, *** *** **** ** ************** **** *** impact *** ********** ** ********** ** ************ ** *** ** I *** ******....

Thumbnail skip headshot

Skip Cusack

09/19/16 02:00pm

*****, **** *******, ** ******. ******** ** **** ********* **** Tailgating ** ************. ********** ** **** ******** ***** ** ****** an ********** **** ******* ***** ********* ** *******. ************ ** when *** ********** **** ** ********* ** ******** *** ************ user ******* *** ******.

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