Field identification of physical access control credentials (badges, key fobs, mobile credentials) and wall-mounted reader hardware allows physical red teams and security assessors to identify frequency, protocol, and encryption vulnerabilities prior to active engagement.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and contactless smartcard mechanisms govern the transmission of identity credentials over air interfaces. Understanding modulation schemes, framing architectures, and cryptographic handshakes is essential for assessing electronic access control security.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems are vulnerable across both physical and cryptographic domains. Attacks range from simple plaintext replay of low-frequency credentials to advanced mathematical cryptanalysis of proprietary smartcard ciphers.