The $300 Lock You Can Break in Seconds(blogs.forbes.com)
blogs.forbes.com
The $300 Lock You Can Break in Seconds
http://blogs.forbes.com/marcwebertobias/2011/02/01/the-300-lock-you-can-break-in-seconds/
4 comments
These locks are silly and can be opened in seconds without a magnet. They can be brute forced easily due to the few number of combinations afforded by their design. There are only 5 digits to choose from, and a code can use a given digit only once. While there is a configuration that requires the pressing of two digits at once, I've rarely seen this used. If you assume a 3 digit code, the number of combinations to try is 5 * 4 * 3, or 60 tries. A 4 digit combination requires at most 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 tries (120). We used to have these locks in my office. After code changes i would try my hand at "breaking" into them (before reading the email containing the new code). In every case I had the lock open within 2 minutes. The hardest part was actually pressing the handle down 30-60 times.
There has been a lot of commentary on Reddit about this author's presumptuousness in posting the video showing how to crack this lock behind a password-protected site. I'd be curious to know what the HN community thinks about that.
Sounds to me like if you have access to a lock like this, and a strong magnet you could probably figure out what to do with it. I think it won't stop the truly malicious (almost nothing will), but it might stop many tinkerers that may have strong magnets sitting around but don't have the follow through to find a lock like this and experiment for a while... until the exact method is posted somewhere.
Also, I thought most locks had brass or other non-magnetic components just for this reason.
Also, I thought most locks had brass or other non-magnetic components just for this reason.
Don't miss this profile on Tobias in Wired a couple years ago:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-06/ff_keymas...
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-06/ff_keymas...