
With just card you can buy everything, open hotel room, pay for subway and bus, and more. You know, every cards is have an Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically stored information. Because of that attacker is possible to clone the cards. But, to perform clonning on RFID cards you need a special hardware called “Proxmark“.
Introduction
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 world-wide. Originally built by Jonathan Westhues over 10 years ago, the device has progressively evolved into the industry standard tool for RFID Analysis.
Its versatility has seen it adapted to many industries and uses: from RFID enthusiasts, academic research, product development, law enforcement and penetration testing.
There has been a rapid evolution of the hardware and software in the last few years, resulting in mature and minaturised versions of the hardware. There are revisions optimised for in-the-field use, such as red-teaming or pen-testing, and desktop versions tweaked for research use in the office or lab.
Who use a Proxmark ?
- Penetration Testing
- The miniature size of latest Proxmark, along with its standalone mode and Android-based tools make it the ideal tool for testing, sniffing, replaying and cloning in red-teaming environments.
- Development
- Access to low-level sniffing, logging, demodulating and replay tools make the Proxmark a must-have device for anyone developing products or services in the RFID space.
- Research
- The Proxmark is the tool behind all major RFID Security Research breakthroughs: Mifare Classic Crypto cracking, Mifare PRNG analysis, VingCard exploitation & defeat to name a few.
- RFID Enthusiast
- The Proxmark is found on the desk of thousands of hobbyists, hackers and makers worldwide. Its comprehensive codebase provides simple RFID reading, writing, cloning, cracking, and emulation.
Proxmark Hardware
Over the last ten years, there have been several generations and revisions of the Proxmark hardware. There are several non-supported and legacy devices, and also off-market / clone versions devices as well.
Proxmark 3 newest hardware variations
1. Proxmark 3 RDV 4

Device Background
The Proxmark 3 RDV4 is the latest revision of the Proxmark 3 Platform. It is designed and manufactured by RRG.
The RDV 4 revision represents a highly optimised piece of hardware specifically designed for the pen-testing community:
- Covert: Fits easily into a hand and pocket
- Modular: Rapidly switch pre-tuned antennas for more range when in the field
- Intuiative: Multiple Status LEDs for at-a-glance status checking
- Android Compatible: Works with Project Walrus for automated red-teaming
- Expandable: BLE/Wifi module expansion capability for automated data egress
Device Characteristics
- Smallest Proxmark Ever: 54 x 87 x 10mm
- Internalised, Pre-tuned antennas
- SIM/Smart card reader
- Miniaturised ABS case
- Expandable Framework:
- Hot-swappable mid and long range antennas
- BLE/Wifi module compatible
2. Proxmark 3 Evolution

Device Background
The Proxmark 3 EVO, or “Evolution” is designed by Elechouse to be the ultimate evolution of the Proxmark 3 Platform.
No larger than a wallet, the Proxmark 3 Evo has been miniaturised and modernised to respond to the evolving requirements of the community.
It can be considered the ultimate desktop device for RFID researchers and hobbists.
- Durable: High quality ABS case protects your hardware, even on the go
- Flexible: Only proxmark to feature an RGB LED for intuative status indication
- Android Compatible: Works with Project Walrus for automated red-teaming
Device Characteristics
- Miniaturised: 60 x 90 x 12mm
- Internalised, Pre-tuned antennas
- RGB LED (integrated into official codebase)
- ABS case
- 100% Compatible with the official Proxmark codebase
Proxmark Tutorials
Lab401 Academy
Lab401 Academy provides tutorials dedicated to RFID, RF and Pen-testing.
- Proxmark 3: Pentesting with Android & Project Walrus
- Proxmark & Low Frequency: Getting Started
- Proxmark & Low Frequency: Decoding, Demodulating and Plotting
- Mifare Cracking via Reader Attack
- Proxmark 3: Using Custom Firmware
- Proxmark 3: Windows Installation
Hacker Warehouse
Hacker Warehouse provides high-quality training videos for RFID and Pentesting tools.
Technical Resources
Up-to-date technical resources for the Proxmark 3
Technical papers and publications that used the Proxmark
- Proxmark3: The Swiss Army Knife of Security Research
- Exploring the NFC Attack Surface
- A Practical Attack on the MIFARE Classic
- Potential Misuse of NFC Enabled Mobile Phones with Embedded Security Elements as Contactless Attack Platforms
- Outsmarting Smart Cards
- Proxmark 3 RDV2 cracks Millions of Hotel Rooms