Are Keycard protected doors really safe?

The doors at hotels, businesses, and some dorm rooms at college all use wireless RFID keycards (that you don't have to slide) to keep unauthorized people out, but with the rise of computer hacking, and the use of apps hackers can now unlock certain doors with a simple Android app.

With Caribou, an Android app that was shown on PopSci.com, the user unlocked both doors to a private pool within 30 seconds simply by using an app.

By inserting the ip address of the system that is being hacked the hacker in the video was able to unlock the door for 30 seconds in a minuscule amount of time. This app rapidly tries every possible combination until it lands on the one that unlocks the door.

This app has a big problem though, the hacker must be able to get the ip address of the door that is trying to be unlocked. It is not clear as to how easy it is to obtain the ip address, so some work may be required.

Fortunately the app was never actually released, no matter how flawed, to the Android Market, but it was only designed for an Android. The people who designed it were trying to warn the people in charge of security of a potential problem, and it warns companies that they are vulnerable to theft and break-ins by an average hacker.


For more information visit: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-03/video-android-app-hacks-cardkey-protected-doors-one-click