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  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    I recently found this magnetic attack on the net and was a little surprised. But not a lot surprised. Security is a very funny thing. It can and is being argued that simply exposing methods such as these on the net is considerably altering the actual security of the device in question. And it is a good argument. Another somewhat similar example is whether or not knowing the correct procedure for dialing a combination then becomes part of the security of the devise. I have NO doubt there have been cases where burglars have come into the possession of a safe combination but lacking the correct dialing sequence have failed in gaining access. I have read that bump keys have been known for 50 years. I would say that this technique goes back way further than that but because it did not become popular knowledge it never became an issue. A method to aid in the manipulating a certain brand of very popular lock that has been around for a very long time came to my attention only recently. The evolution of locking devices is filled with examples of those that are good until they are beaten. In some cases it happens very quickly and in others a very long time. Most of the pressure on improvement used to come from the competition. Now it comes mostly from lock sport clubs. In the real world most of the serious threats were not and are still not a newly found slick method. I am not saying that you should stick your head in the sand but the reality is that locks work until they don't. Personally I have always been amazed that the Simplex has been seen used in security situations that shocked me but then again security like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  2. #12

    Default Redundant locks

    I think some European manufacturers like SECU have the right idea with redundant electronic locks. LA GARD makes one as well (the 6441), but it's a rather clumsy approach with the lock being twice as thick as a standard lock and needing both a keypad and a dial. There are many ways to go about making the lock redundant. SECU just uses 2 of everything: 2 motors, 2 cables, 2 circuit boards, etc. Other designs I've seen have a lever lock as well as a motor so you remove the keypad and use a key to override the electronics. This one is a redundant boltwork design: http://www.m-locks.com/assets/files/...eningen/M4.pdf

    I think the main problem at this point is that customers are buying tens of thousands of standard electronic locks and don't really care that one day it will probably fail when the safe is locked.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    1,485
    Country: United States

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    Here is an inside look at a Pulsetronic keypad. Unfortunately, S&G's official position was that when the battery runs down, the customer needs to buy a new keypad. The battery is not field-serviceable. It's made from two CR123A batteries in series, encased in heat-shrink plastic (twice), possibly spot-welded together, with solder tabs (also likely spot-welded) and wires that solder to the printed circuit board. No wonder they didn't want anybody attempting a repair but it seems a poor design to have disallowed battery replacement (unlike the lock itself, which does seem to allow it).

    Does anybody have any idea where else to get such a battery assembly?

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    This one has in fact been opened and repaired in the past.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    259
    Country: UK

    Default long service

    There are some key locks from the 13C still in service and functioning, though few modern buildings will last that many centuries, so perhaps their locks do not need to either.
    Some folk take a jaundiced view of locks which need a new battery every few months though.

  5. #15

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug MacQueen View Post
    I have read that bump keys have been known for 50 years. I would say that this technique goes back way further than that but because it did not become popular knowledge it never became an issue.
    You are quite correct. Through my own research on bump keys and the technique I believe they didn't exist until just before the patent was issued in July, 1920, (a British patent).
    BBE.

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