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OSDP specification

Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is an access control communications standard maintained by the Security Industry Association (SIA). This page describes how we've implemented the official OSDP specification in our reader firmware. Currently, we support version 2.1.7. Make sure you're familiar with the specification as the below documentation refers to it.

Supported hardware

OSDP is supported by BALTECH ACCESS200 readers. They include the following components:

  • Tamper switch The firmware monitors the tamper switch and sends tamper alarm notifications as osdp_ACK replies.
  • Brownout detection
    The firmware provides brownout monitoring and sends notifications as osdp_ACK replies.
  • Relay
    It is controlled by output 0.
  • 1 tri-color LED (red/green/blue)
  • 1 beeper

Operation mode

OSDP requires our readers to run in Autoread mode. All other operation modes are not supported.

Supported commands

Command Value Meaning Data
osdp_POLL 0x60 Poll None
osdp_ID 0x61 ID Report Request ID type
osdp_CAP 0x62 PD Capabilities Request Reply type
osdp_LSTAT 0x64 Local Status Report Request None
osdp_OSTAT 0x66 Output Status Report Request None
osdp_RSTAT 0x67 Reader Status Report Request None
osdp_OUT 0x68 Output Control Command Output settings
osdp_LED 0x69 Reader Led Control Command LED settings
osdp_BUZ 0x6A Reader Buzzer Control Command Buzzer settings
osdp_COMSET 0x6E PD Communication Configuration Command Com settings
osdp_KEYSET 0x75 Encryption Key Set Command Encryption key
osdp_CHLNG 0x76 Challenge and Secure Session Initialization Request Challenge data
osdp_SCRYPT 0x77 Server Cryptogram Encryption data
osdp_MFG 0x80 Manufacturer Specific Command Any

Supported Replies

Reply Value Meaning Data
osdp_ACK 0x40 Command accepted, nothing else to report None
osdp_NACK 0x41 Command not processed Reason for rejecting command
osdp_PDID 0x45 PD ID Report Report data
osdp_PDCAP 0x46 PD Capabilities Report Report data
osdp_LSTATR 0x48 Local Status Report Report data
osdp_OSTATR 0x4A Output Status Report Report data
osdp_RSTATR 0x4B Reader Status Report Report data
osdp_RAW 0x50 Reader Data - Raw bit image of card data Card data
osdp_FMT 0x51 Reader Data - Formatted character stream Card data
osdp_KEYPAD 0x53 Keypad Data Keypad data
osdp_COM 0x54 PD Communications Configuration Report Comm data
osdp_CCRYPT 0x76 Client's ID, Random Number, and Cryptogram Encryption data
osdp_RMAC_I 0x78 Initial R-MAC Encryption data
osdp_BUSY 0x79 PD is Busy reply None
osdp_MFGREP 0x90 Manufacturer Specific Reply Any

Exchange BRP frames

You can send BRP commands to the reader using the manufacturer specific command osdp_MFG (see chapter 3.20 in the OSDP specification). The BRP command frame is transmitted as command specific data (bytes 4-n). The reader will respond with an osdp_MFGREP reply. The BRP response frame is transmitted as reply specific data (bytes 4-n).

For BRP security, you can implement AES authentication and encryption with strongly scalable access conditions. To send secured OSDP messages, you have to authenticate via security level 1 by default. Unsecured OSDP messages will be sent via an unencrypted connection.

Enable OSDP and set bus address

By default, ACCESS200 readers have Wiegand enabled. You can switch to OSDP by setting a bus address on each reader. Options to do so are described here.

Configuration

Below, you'll find a description of the configuration values and their default settings. To make changes, you have the following possibilities:

  • Use the host interface component for OSDP in BALTECH ConfigEditor.
    Where this is possible, the corresponding option in the component is indicated.
  • Order a custom configuration.
  • Change the value via the OSDP controller if you create your own one.

Bus address

  • Configuration value: Address
  • Default: 0

To set a bus address, see section Enable OSDP and set bus address.

Baud rate

Inter-character timeout

OSDP message type

  • Configuration value: DataMode

  • Default: BitstreamRaw (corresponds to the OSDP message type OSDP_raw)

Host message format

The reader converts data read from the card to ASCII decimal. If the host expects a different format, the reader reconverts the ASCII data to that format (learn more).

This default setting matches the default message type osdp_RAW (i.e. DataMode set to BitstreamRaw or BitstreamWiegand). It's automatically set when OSDP is enabled.

If the message type is changed to osdp_FMT (i.e. DataMode is set to Ascii), HostMsgFormatTemplate must be disabled.

Protocol encryption

This configuration value is needed to enable encryption as described in Appendix D of the OSDP specification. You can use it to enable install and/or secure mode.

  • Configuration value: SecureInstallMode (reflects version 2 of the OSDP specification)
    This value corresponds to the Spec Compliance option in the host interface component of BALTECH ConfigEditor.

  • Default: Communication without security (reflects version 1 of the OSDP specification)

Default Secure Channel Base Key (SDBK-D)

The value is read protected and is applied in conjunction with OSDP protocol encryption. You can change this value to a different SDBK-D. To do so, you can specify a diversified or non-diversified key. In the latter case, set the parameter DiversifyFlag to WillBeDiversified. The reader will then diversify the key according to Appendix D.4.1 of the OSDP specification (v2.1.7) and delete the non-diversified key afterwards.

Secure Channel Base Key (SDBK)

  • Configuration value: SCBKey
  • Default: none; communication is unencrypted

This configuration value stores the SDBK key once you've deployed it. The value is read protected and is applied in conjunction with OSDP protocol encryption.

To deploy the SDBK, you have 2 options:

  • OSDP install mode
    Enable install mode, authenticate with the SDBK-D and deploy the (diversified) SDBK. After the SDBK has been deployed, install mode is automatically terminated.
  • BALTECH ConfigCard
    Alternatively, you can use a BALTECH ConfigCard to deploy an SCBK. If you want the SCBK to be diversified, set the parameter DiversifyFlag to WillBeDiversified. The reader will then diversify the key according to Appendix D.4.1 of the OSDP specification (v2.1.7) and delete the non-diversified key afterwards.

Firmware upgrades

When upgrading the reader firmware via the OSDP controller, you need to deploy the new firmware version in BEC2 format, i.e. packaged with a configuration

This feature required firmware 1100 v2.00.06 or above.

Do not use a BF2 or BF3 file: Deploying these files will require you to do a factory reset first, which deletes the reader's bus address and makes any further communication with the reader impossible.

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