Access Control Done Right the First Time
Provides practical engineering best practices for deploying physical access control systems, covering supervised wiring, tamper resistance, and badge encryption.
Summary
Pitfalls of Minimum Viable Access Control
Physical Access Control Systems (PACS) are frequently installed using minimum viable product configurations that leave doors vulnerable to simple physical bypasses and electronic credential cloning.
Supervised Wiring and Tamper Resistance
Tim Clevenger explains the critical importance of supervised reader wiring and end-of-line resistors, which detect when cables are cut or spliced by physical red teamers attempting inline badge cloning.
Selecting Clone-Resistant Credentials
Replacing vulnerable legacy 125 kHz proximity cards (such as standard HID Prox) with modern encrypted smartcards (like MIFARE DESFire EV3 or HID Seos) prevents unauthorized badge duplication.
Hardening Controllers and Operational Maintenance
Securing access control infrastructure requires locking controller enclosures, isolating management networks, maintaining accurate badge revocation records, and routinely testing door position switches.
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