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Ex Hacker Explains Why You Should Never Leave Your Keycards Lying Around

Ex Hacker Explains Why You Should Never Leave Your Keycards Lying Around

According to his TikTok account, the man is an 'ex-hacker, current felon' and is 'teaching cybersecurity'.

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

An 'ex-hacker' has revealed why you shouldn't leave any of your keycards or security cards lying around. Watch below:

TikToker Marcus Hutchins explains how he picked up a device for 'a few hundred dollars' called 'Proxmark', which can 'clone anything to 'HID cards to hotel keys'.

What the heck is a Proxmark, you might ask?

Well, according to proxmark.com: "The Proxmark is an RFID swiss-army tool, allowing for both high and low-level interactions with the vast majority of RFID tags and systems worldwide."

Marcus's TikTok bio reads: "Ex hacker, current felon. Teaching Cybersecurity."

"You probably shouldn't leave access cards lying around," he said.

TikTok/@malwaretech

He showcases that, within seconds, his Proxmark reads the data of his key card.

Marcus added: "The best part is that it'll even through a coat pocket.

"Now, obviously this whole set-up with the laptop is a bit inconspicuous so you can actually put it in 'mobile mode' and it'll work from a battery pack.

"Holding down the button will start to scan and when it comes into contact with a key it will save the data.

Marcus then throws on a hoodie and hides the tech underneath it to appear unnoticed.

TikTok/@malwaretech

He attaches the battery pack to his Proxmark and places it in his back pockets.

Next, he connects an antenna to a really long USB cable and puts it down his sleeve, plugging it into the back of his Proxmark.

"[Now] I've got the data off the card I can create an identical key but it's a lot more fun to use the proxmark itself as a key."

The viral video was posted on 15 August and has since racked up 4.5 million views and 486,000 likes.

One user, incredibly, pointed out: "You could steal a Tesla theoretically with this since they use a card."

A second user added: "I can't decide if this is awesome or terrifying."

Whilst a final user joked: "I'm so grateful you're teaching people how to be scammers" to which Marcus replied: "As I have already said: this isn't a tutorial. It doesn't explain any of how to do it."

Well, we know we definitely won't be leaving any cards lying around unattended from now on!

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@malwaretech

Topics: Viral, tech, TikTok