I just noticed that my hotel room card is a simple, unprotected NFC card that has a whopping 8x8x16=1024 bit allocated. If I had another NFC tag with my I'd be tempted to copy it and play around with it a bit...

I’d be willing to bet most security enhancements and systems from before 2000 or so maybe later are simple mechanisms just like that that rely simply on someone not having the device or a device that can make the copy even if the system itself has programmable locks the actual physical badge has to have an identity or it’s a quick snatch and swipe and return “o sorry bob looks like you grabbed my key by mistake”
Meanwhile the card has been palmed to
Someone else copied and will be used while you’re out and about with the guy the whole time

I’ve seen hotels hand off master keys to rooms like I said the last time

Sometimes I wonder about them cheap magstripe bus tickets printed on paper.

@Wisecrack you could probably easy load them with change
..... damn that’s a good idea
Infinite change cards

Problem is you’d need blanks many buses print on them

@Wisecrack but yeah those systems are older then Moses

Many are migrating to reloadabkr rfid style devices though which might use certs

Wait until you see the lock on the safe. Or try a traveler’s hook on the door. Or try default credentials on the router/switch/gateway.

@Root why do I get the feeling you follow LockPicking Lawyer

@zvyn well, that depends on the physical key. You can't copy some without significantly more effort.

The cult orient wouldn't work after your check out. I would guess they can reset the password on the door.

Ur card just has the current one.

I could be wrong though...

@electrineer all you need is 1. A good picture of the key. 2. A blank. 3
A file or other tool to cut the blank.

@Wisecrack it depends on the type of key

@electrineer Dimple keys are more expensive, and therefore you’re unlikely to find them at hotels. Likewise with other fancy keys like magnetic, double rows, etc. The most common protection here is a nonstandard keyway so it’s difficult to find blanks.

Most hotels use keycards because rekeying these is trivial, whereas rekeying a lock tumbler is (at least a little) costly, and so is the bad publicity if someone duplicates a hotel room key and e.g. murders the new occupant.

But then again so is changing out the existing keycard system for a better, more secure one… and hotels really don’t make much money.