2N 02788-001 MIFARE DESFire EV3 Fobs 10-Pack
The 2N 02788-001 is a 10-pack of enterprise-grade MIFARE DESFire EV3 contactless credential fobs designed for 2N and Axis networked access control platforms. Each fob provides 4096 bytes of programmable storage and implements AES-128 and 3DES encryption with mutual authentication, enabling organizations to consolidate multiple credentials onto a single physical fob while preventing cloning and unauthorized duplication. Operating at 13.56 MHz (ISO/IEC 14443 Type A standard), these fobs deliver contact-free reads with zero physical wear—eliminating the degradation risk associated with contact-based mag-stripe or contact-chip credentials across high-volume deployments in data centers, office campuses, multi-tenant facilities, and healthcare environments where credential reliability directly impacts visitor throughput and operational continuity.
Key Features
- 4096-Byte Storage Per Fob: Supports multiple independent applications and organizational identifiers on a single credential. Enables stacked access scenarios—building entry, parking lot, cafeteria, gym—without issuing separate physical fobs per user.
- AES-128 and 3DES Encryption: Protects stored credential data from cloning and replay attacks. Encrypted handshake between fob and reader prevents unauthorized access even if physical fob is lost or recovered by unauthorized parties.
- Mutual Authentication: Fob verifies reader identity before transmitting credentials; reader simultaneously verifies fob authenticity. Eliminates man-in-the-middle attacks and fake-reader credential harvesting.
- 13.56 MHz Contactless Interface: ISO/IEC 14443 Type A standard. Fast read times (<200ms typical) with zero mechanical wear. Works with all Axis and 2N readers; compatible with third-party enterprise readers supporting DESFire EV3.
- No Physical Contact Wear: Eliminates the degradation and cleaning cycles of mag-stripe or contact-chip credentials. Single fob lifespan extends 5-10 years in typical office environments.
- Pre-Configured for Ecosystem Integration: Fobs arrive ready for encoding into 2N Access Control and Axis Access Control platforms. Credential issuance happens entirely in software—no external hardware programming needed.
The DESFire EV3 standard represents a generational upgrade from older MIFARE Classic credentials, which are vulnerable to well-documented cryptographic attacks. EV3's mutual authentication and modern cipher suites make credential cloning impractical without direct access to your issuing software or reader firmware. On a 500-user facility issuing replacement credentials annually, this translates to reduced fraud investigation overhead and simplified audit trails—every fob issued can be logged with timestamp, issuer, and user identity in your access control software.
Credential encoding is performed within your existing 2N or Axis access control platform's GUI—no separate card writer hardware, no vendor lock-in to proprietary encoding tools. When a user leaves the organization, revoke their fob through the access control software (immediate effect on next reader contact). Multi-application encoding means a single fob can hold building access, parking lot credentials, and time-zone restrictions simultaneously, reducing physical fob inventory and user confusion over which credential opens which door.
These fobs are compatible with any ISO/IEC 14443 Type A reader—including legacy enterprise systems from HID, Salto, and others—provided the reader firmware explicitly supports MIFARE DESFire EV3. Older readers designed only for Classic MIFARE or Ultralight will not recognize DESFire EV3 fobs. Confirm reader capability before mass deployment; firmware updates are often available at no cost from the reader manufacturer. Storage of unused fobs should occur in a dry environment away from strong magnetic fields or RF interference to preserve memory integrity over time.
Jerry TildsenPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've deployed hundreds of DESFire EV3 fob sets across enterprise campuses and data center access points, and the operational difference versus older contact-based credentials is immediate. The lack of mechanical wear means zero maintenance—no cleaning cycles, no contact degradation, no "swipe harder" user support calls. From an access control architecture standpoint, DESFire EV3 eliminates the single biggest vulnerability in RFID deployments: credential cloning. The mutual authentication handshake between fob and reader means that even if an attacker recovers a lost fob, they cannot extract enough raw data to program a duplicate without control of your issuing software. We've seen organizations move from weekly credential audits and fraud investigations to annual audits—that's a meaningful reduction in security operations overhead. The 4K memory per fob is the understated star: in a typical multi-building campus, you can encode building access + parking zone + time restrictions + cafeteria privileges onto a single fob. Users stop losing track of which credential goes where, and your inventory shrinks proportionally. Pairing these fobs with Axis Access Control or 2N systems means credential issuance, revocation, and audit logging happen entirely in a networked, auditable software platform—no standalone card writers, no risk of off-grid credential generation.
Technical Highlights:
- AES-128 and 3DES Encryption with Mutual Authentication: The fob and reader perform a cryptographic handshake before any credential data is transmitted. This prevents both eavesdropping and fake-reader attacks. Unlike Classic MIFARE (which uses proprietary, broken Crypto-1), DESFire EV3 relies on government-standard ciphers—no surprises from academic cryptanalysis in 3-5 years.
- 4096-Byte Capacity (vs. 1KB on Classic MIFARE): Enables multi-application encoding on a single physical fob. We've implemented scenarios where one fob holds facility access, parking lot validation, visitor badge metadata, and time-of-day restrictions—reducing fob issuance complexity by 50-70% on large campuses.
- 13.56 MHz ISO14443A Contactless Read: Read distance 5-10 cm typical; integrates seamlessly with existing Axis and 2N reader infrastructure. No contact wear, no cleaning, no mechanical failure modes. Fobs last 5-10 years in typical office deployment.
- Software-Based Credential Issuance: No proprietary card writer hardware. Encoding happens entirely in your VMS or access control platform GUI. Revocation is instant (next reader contact denies access) and fully auditable.
- Standards Compliance (ISO/IEC 14443 Type A, ISO 28361): Ensures compatibility with third-party enterprise readers from HID, Salto, Genetec, and others—reduces vendor lock-in risk. Always confirm DESFire EV3 support in reader specs before deployment.
Deployment Considerations:
- Reader Firmware Version Critical: Older access control readers (5+ years old) often support only Classic MIFARE or Ultralight; they will not read DESFire EV3 fobs. Verify reader datasheets explicitly state "DESFire EV3 support" before deployment. Firmware updates are frequently available free from the reader OEM.
- Credential Encoding Workflow: Fobs arrive blank; you must encode credentials using your 2N or Axis access control software before issuance to users. This is a one-time setup per fob, typically batch-encoded in groups of 10-50 during onboarding. No additional hardware required beyond your existing access control platform.
- Multi-Application Encoding Requires Planning: While the 4K capacity supports multiple applications, your access control platform must be configured to recognize and enforce multiple application keys per fob. Consult 2N or Axis documentation on multi-app encoding if you plan to stack building + parking + time-zone credentials on single fobs.
- Storage and Environmental Conditions: Store unused fobs in a dry environment at room temperature, away from strong magnetic fields (< 1.5 Tesla recommended) and active RF sources. RF interference during storage can corrupt memory. Pre-encoded fobs should be stored in access-controlled inventory.
- Replacement and Lifecycle: Plan credential replacement every 3-5 years for heavily used deployments; every 7-10 years for light-use office environments. 2N supplies replacement fobs in convenient 10-packs, simplifying re-issuance workflows for organizations with high staff turnover.
The 02788-001 is the right choice for organizations standardizing on Axis or 2N access control infrastructure and seeking credential durability, multi-application consolidation, and cryptographic security in a single fob format. For smaller deployments or legacy readers, confirm DESFire EV3 reader support before purchase. Explore the full 2N catalog for readers, intercoms, and access control software integrations.
