Physical Penetration, RFID Hacking, & Electronic Access Control Systems
Training Overview
Physical Penetration, RFID Hacking & Electronic Access Control Systems is an advanced, hands-on red and blue team training at CSA XCON 2026, designed to expose the real-world weaknesses in physical security systems protecting modern enterprises, government facilities, and critical infrastructure.
While organizations invest heavily in network defenses, physical access remains one of the most exploited attack vectors. This training immerses participants in the realities of mechanical locks, RFID credentials, alarms, door controllers, and Physical Access Control Systems (PACS) that protect digital, material, and human assets worldwide.
Participants will learn how physical security actually works in the field and how attackers manipulate, bypass, clone, downgrade, intercept, and replay their way through it.
About the Training at CSA XCON 2026
This is a hardware-first, field-realistic training, not theory or slideware.
Key highlights include:
- This is a hardware-first, field-realistic training, not theory or slideware. Key highlights include:
- Red team techniques for covert entry and credential attacks
- Blue team best practices for detection, hardening, and prevention
- Exclusive hands-on use of a custom-built RFID Door Simulator
- Direct exposure to real PACS attack tooling used in professional engagements
This training aligns perfectly with CSA XCON’s mission of delivering practical, real-world cybersecurity skills beyond the digital perimeter.
Hands-On Core Experience: RFID Door Simulator
Every participant works with a custom RFID Training Door Simulator, often described as a “Building in a Box.”
This unique hardware platform simulates:
- RFID credential readers
- Door controllers
- Authentication workflows
- Backhaul communication protocols
Features include:
- Multi-technology RFID reader
- Integrated door controller
- OLED status display
- Realistic authentication flows
Participants will attack and analyze multiple credential technologies, gaining field-ready experience that cannot be replicated with software alone.
This hardware is custom-built and unavailable anywhere else.
What You Will Learn
Mechanical Locking Systems
- Lock types and door hardware used in real environments
- Manipulation and bypass techniques
- Rapid field assessment: attack vs avoid decisions
RFID & Electronic Credentials
- Identifying unknown credential technologies
- Cloning, replaying, downgrading, and intercepting credentials
- Evaluating exploitability of discovered credentials
Physical Access Control Systems (PACS)
- Door controllers, alarm contacts, tamper switches
- Backhaul protocols and signal interception
- Weaknesses in PACS design and deployment
Red Team Physical Attacks
- Covert entry techniques
- In-plain-sight camouflage
- Credential harvesting and replay
- Surveillance and site access strategies
Blue Team Defense & Design
- Best practices for resisting physical attacks
- Designing resilient access control systems
- Detection strategies for physical intrusion attempts
Training Experience & Expectations
- Extremely hands-on and tool-driven
- Individual access to professional-grade hardware
- Realistic, field-tested attack scenarios
- Balanced red team and blue team perspectives
Participants leave with complete situational awareness of physical security weaknesses and defenses.
Key Takeaways
- Ability to rapidly assess mechanical lock systems and decide attack feasibility
- Skill to identify and evaluate electronic credentials for exploitability
- Understanding of social engineering, covert movement, and camouflage techniques
Who Should Attend
This training is ideal for:
- Professional penetration testers
- Physical security auditors
- Security architects
- Installers, integrators, and system maintainers
- Critical infrastructure and facility decision-makers
Skill Level
Beginner to Intermediate
Participant Requirements
Participants should bring:
- Laptop running Windows 10 or Windows 11 natively (admin rights required)
- Willingness for interactive, hands-on participation
Virtual machines and restricted Windows “S Mode” systems are not recommended.
What Participants Will Receive
Each participant will use and retain a field-capable physical penetration toolkit, including:
- Professional lockpick and bypass kits
- Practice locks and decoding tools
- RFID credential packs
- ESPkey Wiegand interception tools
- Proxmark3 RDV4.0
- Custom RFID Door Simulator access
- Specialized mechanical bypass hardware
This is one of the most comprehensive physical pentesting kits offered in any conference training.