Bump keys, a security issue

[bart]

From the better known than not department:

A 7 minute video showing how most less exoensive or common key locks can be simply opened with no trace:
bump keys video at YouTube


There exist "biometric" locks that avoid this issue, and of course combination locks are not vulnerable.
There are also certain types of more expensive locks (Schlage's Primus line is one) that either resist or prevent being 'bumped', and a locksmith is the best place to go for them.

[Finster]

Re: Bump keys, a security issue

From the better known than not department:

A 7 minute video showing how most less exoensive or common key locks can be simply opened with no trace:
bump keys video at YouTube


There exist "biometric" locks that avoid this issue, and of course combination locks are not vulnerable.
There are also certain types of more expensive locks (Schlage's Primus line is one) that either resist or prevent being 'bumped', and a locksmith is the best place to go for them.

My last car came with these machined 3-D profile keys and locks, said to be much more secure. The keys are hard to duplicate. They are correspondingly hard to replace, too! A cousin spent well into three figures to replace a lost set for his car.

Why are combination locks not more popular? No worries about lost or stolen keys. Weren't they used on many cars for a while? I am tempted to put combination locks on my house next time doors are replaced.

Thoughts?

(...aside from cracks about what kind of locks I have on my tin-foil-hat, that is...)

[bart]

Re: Bump keys, a security issue

My last car came with these machined 3-D profile keys and locks, said to be much more secure. The keys are hard to duplicate. They are correspondingly hard to replace, too! A cousin spent well into three figures to replace a lost set for his car.

Why are combination locks not more popular? No worries about lost or stolen keys. Weren't they used on many cars for a while? I am tempted to put combination locks on my house next time doors are replaced.

Thoughts?

(...aside from cracks about what kind of locks I have on my tin-foil-hat, that is...)

Its the wonderful world of risk management and also the tradeoff between convenience and security. Even MS Windows can be made pretty secure... but it sure is nowhere near as convenient when its much more secure.

The biggest thing to me on having bumpable house locks is that an insurance payoff won't happen since there is no evidence of break in - and that makes the cost of them (whether combination locks or bump proof key locks) pretty trivial.

With a car, its not as clear since bumping those locks is not trivial plus there has already been significant effort put into prevention of theft. The super complex car keys are a mixed blessing in my book. After having cars stolen and broken into, I subscribe to just driving a car with a low profile and criminal demand.


(By the way, I just use a chin strap on my tin foil hat... ;))

[Finster]

Re: Bump keys, a security issue

Its the wonderful world of risk management and also the tradeoff between convenience and security. Even MS Windows can be made pretty secure... but it sure is nowhere near as convenient when its much more secure.

The biggest thing to me on having bumpable house locks is that an insurance payoff won't happen since there is no evidence of break in - and that makes the cost of them (whether combination locks or bump proof key locks) pretty trivial.

With a car, its not as clear since bumping those locks is not trivial plus there has already been significant effort put into prevention of theft. The super complex car keys are a mixed blessing in my book. After having cars stolen and broken into, I subscribe to just driving a car with a low profile and criminal demand.


(By the way, I just use a chin strap on my tin foil hat... ;))

Does that mean I should get a combination lock for my house?

(...my tin foil hat will have to settle for a chin strap, too...)

[bart]

Re: Bump keys, a security issue

Does that mean I should get a combination lock for my house?

Naaah... just for the "shared storage" area: ;)