[hackerspaces] RFC: security alarm and access control systems in use

[dosman]

While I have several key machines and a stock of key blanks, it’s still easier to add an RFID fob for someone (we use an older Arduino version of the Open Access system discussed earlier). It’s also easier to have your invoicing system automatically disable their RFID when they forget to pay several months in a row, so I think it comes down to ease of use. Also it’s nice to have an audit trail when you are trusting new people with 24x7 access. But it’s probably more likely people enjoy having IRC bots announce when people physically show up at the space and such.

On the flip side, electric door strikes are flimsy compared to dead bolts and I don’t trust them without additional enhancements. I do recommend shoring up your door security if you use them. Like others have said, I’m not worried about someone with a proxmark working on the RFID, I’m worried about junkies looking to snatch the lowest hanging fruit. At a minimum this means adding a cover plate over the door strike area, 1/8” steel plate can be used too. The thing to prevent is any pry tool from getting a foot-hold in the door near the parts that bind (the electric strike). The further away from these points pry tools are used, the more the door will flex which reduces the pressure going directly on the strike. Door flex is a good thing up to a point at least.

Both doors to our building had crow bar marks at the seams next to the dead bolts before we moved in. Thankfully we have nice commercial steel door frames and quality steel doors, whoever was working on it did not appear to have gotten in. And don’t neglect your door hinges if they are on the outside, a lithium powered saws all can do amazing things. I like to install 3/4” steel bolts in the inside seams of doors (with matching holes in the frame) so even if the hinges are cut clean off the door isn’t going anywhere.


> On Jun 16, 2015, at 10:01 AM, Daniel F <buildtherobots at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> As much as rfid has inherent security issues, it makes giving people access easy.
> 
> If it's a standard key then you have no idea who is coming in or out. Getting another set cut is expensive and can be problematic, and if someone looses their key or stops paying membership then I've got to replace the locks and 30+ sets of keys.
> 
> With rfid, I know who's coming in when, new cards can be added for pennies and little effort and it's extremely easy to disable a single members access should it be needed.
> 
> Sent from a touchscreen; apologies for typos and berivity.
> 
> On 16 Jun 2015 01:47, "Brett Dikeman" <brett.dikeman at gmail.com <mailto:brett.dikeman at gmail.com>> wrote:
> A hackerspace I belong to has probably hit the point of needing an alarm and access control system. I'm wondering what good solutions have been created - what the "state of the art" is in hackerspace security these days.
> 
> https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Doorlock <https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Doorlock>
> 
> It'd be awesome if that were updated with any new projects - and if some of the existing writeups could be updated or better documented; a number of them say "this writeup needs to get updated" or the writeup is super sparse. This is a very common and basic need, so more info/guidance would be very beneficial. Not just what people have made, but tradeoffs, lessons learned, mistakes made, etc.
> 
> Also: why do so many of these hackerspace access control systems use RFID / proximity cards? Hackerspace people are among the most likely to know how laughable security is with them, yet so many hackerspaces use them? It's...weird.
> 
> -B
> 
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