The 125 kHz card technologies are mainly for read-only applications and are ideally suited to access control applications where a unique factory-set number is stored on the card, which the reader identifies and passes to the access controller for validation. This offers a reasonable standard of security for most customers. The security level will vary from system to system and will depend upon a number of factors.
- Whether or not the system is fully proprietary and cards are issued by a single manufacturer
- Whether or not there is an authentication protocol between the reader and the card
- How the distributor manages the issuing of cards
There are several fully proprietary systems including HID prox. HID Indala and PAC. These credentials can normally only be read by own manufacturer’s readers although we manufacture readers that can read PAC format. Most other 125 kHz proximity credentials conform to similar standards but with proprietary methods of data storage to suit individual applications, and/or proprietary methods of authentication to reduce the possibility of ‘cloning’.
The most popular 125 kHz credentials are:
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EM4100/EM4102 – read-only credentials each with a unique factory-set 64-bit identity number.
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Temic – rewritable credentials with optional password protection. Can be programmed to emulate EM4102 with customer specific numbering
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Hitag1 – read/write credentials with 2048-bit memory for updatable information storage applications. An example is the Technogym key that stores medical history and training programme. It also includes a 32-bit unique identity number that can be used for access control.
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Hitag2 - read/write credentials with 256-bit memory with authentication features and optional data encryption. It also includes a 32-bit unique identity number. Cards can be programmed to emulate other transponder formats such as EM4102. Some manufacturers have developed bespoke systems based on this technology.
Nortech’s reader family is able to read any of these formats.