Statement on Fingerprint Recognition Issue

A little over 6 years ago we wrote an article about issues with the fingerprint sensor affecting Apple iPhones.

The article here explains some of the pitfalls of biometric fingerprint technology and the ease in which some biometric fingerprint scanners can be hacked.

Just yesterday, Samsung made us aware at MWC 2019 (Mobile World Conference) of a simple hack through their new flagship S10 Galaxy phone that defeats the security protocols embedded within.

Similarly to other older known issues with competing brands of fingerprint sensors, used in door locks, safes, vehicles, time clocks etc, the hack involves simply covering the phone screen with a cheap and widely sold screen protector.

The hack can occur when already enrolled fingerprints are stored in the system but by using a screen protector, the sensor becomes "smudged" leaving the product susceptible to virtually any fingerprint.

It has been well know throughout security industry circles (for a great many years) that many fingerprint scanners can be defeated by simply covering the sensor/scanner in clear sticky tape. This effectively stores the last used correct fingerprint and mimics it too easily, by just using any finger on a taped sensor.

Samsung released a statement about 15 hours ago that you can read in the source below.

Will you trust your home or office security or even the security of your cellphone to a vulnerable fingerprint sensor?

Apple decided to remove the fingerprint sensor from their products in subsequent models for the proven, significantly more secure facial recognition technology that is much harder to compromise.

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Ross BLE Safe Lock - A Mechanical Key Operated Safe Lock with Bluetooth Access Control Included

I first met Keith Ross about 32 years ago when I was an apprentice locksmith working for one of Australia's leading locksmith companies.

He is an affable chap who is an old school engineer and specialty security product manufacturer that has built a highly respected reputation around Australia, many parts of the southern hemisphere and gradual penetration into the markets of the northern hemisphere.

KJ Ross Security Locks began it's life in 1951 and grew to become one of, if not the most highly respected names in the Australian Security Lock industry.

Their wide range of products are all designed and manufactured in Australia and continue to be produced there today, despite the potential for cheaper manufacturing alternatives elsewhere.

The Ross BLE Safe Lock option, is one of their newer products recently released to market and is seeing significant traction in the safe manufacturing industry.

This great product offers increased security alternatives to commonly found digital lock products, you may see in other safe product offerings.

The body of the safe lock is comparable size to other manufacturers technical specifications, meaning it can be retrofitted in place of many other brands of safe locks.

The unique difference with the Ross BLE Safe Lock is that you can control the lock using your Bluetooth enabled Apple iPhone (Android compatibility is in development).

The product is totally off the grid and does not use the internet or cloud to store any data. This is important, given the increasing data breaches we hear about constantly in the news. All authorised users and ekey data is completely stored within the PCB controller itself.

The product is stand alone and operates using two (2) 1.5 volt batteries that can be replaced easily. the legendary Ross Six (6) Lever mechanical key lock system is incorporated within the product too (a necessary feature when batteries go flat) It uses a unique wave key design that is almost impossible to duplicate. The product also comes with an escutcheon plate and a wave key insert that installs into the dial combination spindle hole of the safe door.

Operating Features

• This model provides a proprietary multi-layer security encryption with rolling code to eliminate unauthorised access.
• Comprises an advanced self-defence protocol.
• Contains intelligent anti-hacking controls and counter-measures.

The Administrator App

• Profiles the way the lock is to be opened by its endorsed users. Operating modes include –
• (Manual) that requires an ‘Unlock’ button to be pressed on the smartphone, or
• (Pin-Secured) that requires a PIN to be entered on the smartphone. The ‘eKey’ profiling feature includes –
• Distribution of ‘eKey’ profiles to all users granted access to the lock.
• Profiles an ‘eKey’ prior to its distribution by granting a date and/or time profile that defines the time-frame in which the lock can be opened.
• An ‘eKey’ is distributed as a steganographically encrypted SMS attachment that is unique to that user’s smartphone.
• An Audit Trail display facility is provided.
• Instigates the purchase of additional ‘eKeys’.
• Has the provision to store (96) ‘eKeys’.

The User App

• Engages with the ‘eKey’ access profile when it comes to opening the lock. Features include –
• The ‘Open’ activation period can be set from (1) second to a (4) minute time-frame.
• An automatic re-lock occurs at the end of this activation period.
• A low-battery warning feature is included.

MSDS

Keith is an awesome fellow and produces his products in Knoxfield Victoria Australia (I grew up in Victoria).

KJ Ross Pty Ltd also produce a number of other well deigned and manufactured security products, some of which we have sold here in North America in the past.

Products like:

The 600 Series weld on safe lock

The 700 Series that is designed to easily replace most standard 3 wheel dial combination locks using the existing spindle hole without need to modify the safe door.

The 102 series  (which incidentally, I use on the safe I built from scratch during the third year of my apprenticeship in 1987)

And many other unique products.

see the site in the source below.

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Closing for Family Commitments Abroad

We are closing due to family commitments abroad.
We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding

Smart Speakers Are All The Rage Today Except....

We have written numerous articles over the last 12 years about locks, lock systems, safes, master key systems, doors, repair techniques etc.

Curiously, smart speakers like those offered by Amazon, Google and others have certainly made many of our lives significantly easier but they are found wanting too, as the above video, comediclee shows,

We posted the above video to our social networking pages and are seeing increasing views and likes from our viewers.

It does bring up a topical discussion though and one we feel is important to our readers here too.

Some of the articles we have written about new age smart locks can be seen here

In the above video, the man returns home only being unable to gain entry. Smart locks, for all their good intentions, suffer from many issues that should be considered prior to purchase.

Issues that can include:

• Poor Battery Life
• Weathering
• Low Security
• Hardware Failure
• Increasing Insurance Premiums

Poor Battery Life

Many of today's smart locks operate using 4 AA batteries. We suspect manufacturers decided to use these low power systems due to their extremely cheap price points. 

I find repeatedly, customers often calling for locksmith services where their batteries have failed and they either do not have their mechanical over ride key available or their product has no mechanical key over ride function

It's not just digital smart locks. We are also seeing increasing calls to open safes, where battery failure is a common symptom. Often there are additional issues besides poor battery life including internal wiring not lasting or corroding that contribute to other issues where just replacing dead batteries may seem like a simple fix.

Weathering

Weathering is another common pitfall that occurs repeatedly with battery operated smart locks. Often, once installed the lock will operate efficiently for sometimes 3 months before the user may need to replace batteries. But even correctly installed locks suffer from earth movements that affect the correct alignment of doors into their frames. This will often make operating the deadbolt too difficult for the motor inside the product to correctly throw the bolt. People may leave their homes expecting their door to lock behind them automatically, whereas they are often unaware that the product failed to adequately lock and secure their doors.

Other weathering issues rarely considered include, many digital smart locks are installed to external doors or prime entry doors, Sure the batteries might be on the inside but the keypad will be outside and naturally affected by changing weather. In some regions high humidity can cause internal  components to attract condensation. The water can make internal electrical components to short circuit. Also, when the weather patterns change to cold conditions, the freezing air and rain etc can cause batteries to wear down faster.

Low Security

Many manufacturers, to compete in the global marketplace, decided to use lightweight materials in the construction of their products. Security and access control are some of the reasons some people choose battery operated lock systems. Why anyone who cares about their families security and peace of mind, would choose to spend ~$195+ for a poor quality digital door lock, that is designed to fail within (often) 2 years, puzzles me!

Remembering that it is often all about price, how much is the security and ease of use worth to you?

Often consumers may spend hundreds of dollars on clothes and shoes or thousands of dollars on furniture, electronics or art only to secure their homes with cheap lock systems, It doesnt make any logical sense.

Hardware Failure

Like mentioned above, "the pain of poor quality lasts longer than the pleasure, cheap price provides"

Or

"if you only want to pay peanuts expect to get monkeys"

Consulting your local trained professional locksmith before purchasing locks or other door hardware would be your best approach, in my opinion. Locksmiths have deliberately chosen to train to provide customers with quality offerings aimed at making your lives easier and secure.

You trust your mechanic to fix your car, You trust your electrician to keep your lights working. You trust your plumber to keep the water flowing. Doesnt it make perfect sense to trust your locksmith to keep your home secure?

Increasing Insurance Premiums

An often overlooked issue that many purchasers of digital door locks rarely consider is how installing a digital door lock might affect the amount of insurance you pay.

A number of companies including Walmart, Amazon and others are embarking on delivering groceries and purchases made online to homes and entering your homes to deliver, stock the fridge etc. These new services are attempts to deal with the porch theft phenomena that has resulted in recent years with the expanding delivery markets, While this practise might be considered more secure and more convenient, are you really willing to open your private abode to persons you dont know?

Insurance companies are salivating at the opportunities presented by allowing access to your private dwellings from people who "don't belong".

Also, many digital door lock users will give each user a code. How sure are you that any person is not sharing a code? How would you know if someone who is not authorized, enters your home?

Mechanical keys provide much more immediate security than digital locks because you must have and use a key to operate your lock. Besides the significantly cheaper cost of mechanical products, no requirement to replace batteries ever, even the ease to lock your door if weather affects your installation, you are better protected by using a key to access your property.

This article is primarily about digital battery operated products. Many commercial systems are significantly more expensive for good reason. They are made with higher quality components, often use stronger batteries or are hard wired to mains power. You see many commercial installations that use card/fob access control systems where you simply present your credential to a user interface. These are deliberately hard wired systems, because they last much longer and work continuously without having to maintain batteries.

Walmart To Offer Free In House Delivery Including Stocking Your Fridge

A new service by Walmart, introduced this week is set to compete with Amazon for home deliveries of products ordered. Except that Walmart will have their couriers unlock your door, enter your kitchen, open your fridge and stock your purchased groceries on your behalf.

All you have to do is install a wifi operated lock to your entry door, give permission to Walmart employees to enter your home and to stock your fridge.


That all sounds wonderful, doesnt it?

Amazon introduced a similar service last year after successfully merging their acquisition of Ring and Bleep into their company, We wrote a few articles about Amazon Key and related services here.

Are you owner or resident,willing to allow people you dont know, permission to enter your home when youre not there, have access to your kitchen and pretty much the run of your house?

Are you prepared to pay the increased insurance premiums that will no doubt be incurred?

Even if these companies compel their employees to wear body cameras, so you can view them as they enter your private home, are you really going to open yourself to the privacy concerns?

Modern technologies are great in idea and sometimes in practise. But some ideas are just plain silly.
As a locksmith security specialist, experienced technician and appraiser, I continue to explain to my customers the pitfalls of some modern electronic battery operated security products. Many will agree with me once they understand the potential security and privacy concerns.

I often discuss with clients about their current push button battery operated deadbolt they may have fitted. In many of these discussions, the client points out that, after the third or fourth time replacing the batteries, they will go back to using the mechanical key. The most common reason, is they did not expect the regular and repeated need to replace batteries, adding significantly to their cost of their chosen product. Combine this with they being locked out of their residence when they least expect it and still requiring to call a locksmith to pick their lock open due to not carrying their key.

Electronics do indeed improve our quality of life. But at the exhorbitant cost of a ~$250+ electronic lock, that is more prone to power failure, weathering, house and door movement etc, requiring increased maintenance over the mechanical products that have been around for hundreds of years, the cost differences alone, one might think to keep using and relying on maintenance free security.

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Battery Operated Lock Products Found Wanting - Are You Aware Of The Pitfalls?

There are many and varied brands of wireless digital door locks currently in the wider market. Many of these products we have discussed in this website and picture here. Many of the pictured products here operate on small batteries, either AA, AAA, 9V or even watch cell batteries. The market is quite vast with many of the leading manufacturers in the world also producing a wireless battery powered product to corner some market share too.

 I think it is somewhat interesting, having traveled abroad recently, that not as many European countries appear to share the fascination for wireless battery powered locks, quite like the USA.

I remember traveling to Canada a few years ago and noticed very few instances of wireless digital locks installed on residences and buildings there too.

So, this begs the question as to why there appears to be a consumer fascination for these electronic gadgets, especially in the largest market in the world, the USA.

 Having recently returned from abroad, I noticed that hardwired digital lock systems and access control products appear to be more favored there. Hardwired products offer significant longevity and advantages to wireless battery operation, but essentially there is never, ever a need to have to replace batteries. Replacing batteries, while an inconvenience, is a hidden ongoing cost, rarely considered by consumers.

 There are also a great many and varied commercial products in the wireless genre that continue to come to market, offering increased access control and some also include audit trails, among other desired traits. These products too require constant and never ending battery replacement to ensure correct and continuing operations. Often there will be a maintenance manager or janitor employed in a building responsible for replacing batteries and keeping every thing working normally. And when a product fails, it is often because lax maintenance is responsible. Batteries are not replaced timely enough and staff find themselves locked out, through no fault of their own.

 Some upmarket commercial access control products of the wireless variety are very good quality and offer some advantages to mechanical keyed systems, but they too require constant battery replacements to ensure continued operations.

There are some very interesting and quite good looking products that are quite functional on offer across the world. many also use remote fobs to lock or unlock and, of course, these remote fobs require batteries replaced too. The hidden costs are not discussed by manufacturers or retailers and many consumers are in the dark about the longterm disadvantages of having to constantly replace batteries.

 We have been selling the wireless battery operated electric strike, here for a few years now, but this product is not immune either to the continuing need to replace batteries.

We are also the North American distributor for the fabulous Meroni line of lock products and even their digital battery operated product requires continual battery replacement for continued operation,

 The issues listed above about battery life are not the only problems plaguing the wireless lock industry. Many brands also use motor driven deadbolts that require the door and frame to be in perfect alignment so the bolt can enter the strike and frame. If there is door movement or weathering, frames can move and impede the natural locking/unlocking of your product. Other use issues occur due to poorly installed doors. Most doors found in America today, on residential homes and even some commercial dwellings are built from wooden doors and frames, often installed using short screws in the hinges to attach to the frame.

 The IBC (International Building Code) accepted and gazetted by many American localities, demand that the height of the operating door handle be 36" from the floor. When the original building code was written by the Army Corp Of Engineers in 1949, the average height of an American Adult was 5'6" tall, while today the average height (male/female) is 5'10" tall.

 Understanding a persons height is important because the average door is about 6'8" tall in North America. In many other countries, people install their locks significantly higher. The reason is simple. The lower the handle, the likelihood of you pushing down on the handle is higher and that continued downward pressure contributes to door sagging. The half inch screws in your hinges cannot take the weight of the door combined with constant pushing down on the handle, so the door drops. You often see this by the rubbing of the upper portion of your door on the frame and a wider gap at the top on the lock side than the gap on the hinge side. Also, sometimes your door will drag on the floor.

 I do a fair amount of commercial locksmith and door repair work and often see these electronic battery operated locks in the field. I often ask my customers as to their happiness with the products. Many, who have been using them for quite some time, have realized that the chore of constantly replacing batteries is becoming far too common and often and they make the choice to remove batteries altogether, preferring to go back to the mechanical, maintenance free key lock system.

 So what do i recommend?

I'm glad you asked.
I always ask the customer why they want a digital door lock in the first place.
Most simply desire the convenience of not having to carry a key and that they cannot be locked out if they have a combination.
I then ask how often they have had to replace batteries.
The most common answer I get is, "once every 2-3 months, sometimes more".

 When I press a little bit further, the clients who might have had them for longer, often indicate that after the fourth time replacing the batteries, they simply go back to using the mechanical key.

This indicates to me that many customers are now using their you beaut $250+ wireless battery operated door lock identically to when they simply had a mechanical key. Many keyed door locks cost significantly less than $250+, so that is a clear indication (to me) that they are not receiving the value for their money.

 With WiFi and Bluetooth and NFC components being included in many later models of battery operated door locks, there is more requirement for power to be able to use the products. Why would you rely on batteries constantly to power these power hungry products? Batteries can only last so long, no? And often they will fail when you least expect them or require them.

As to my recommendations on products that can offer the best of both worlds, you might consider the Kaba Powerplex digital door  lock that uses an electro-mechanical power module embedded within, that when the handle is turned, the unit powers up enough juice to enter your combination. No need to ever replace batteries yet still the convenience of electronic combination entry.
Certainly not cheap. Quality products cost more of course, but the Kaba Powerplex delivers where other products fail.

In the next week I will be repairing a customers back door mechanical door lock. They initially requested another electronic deadbolt for the convenience of not having to carry a key. (my service call that day to them was to unlock another digital door lock that wasnt operating. It was of course a flat battery) I recommended that they install a mechanical key box like the Supra brand wall mounted heavy duty mechanical digital key box to the cement wall outside their home and place their operating key inside. That way they can maintain the original lock on the door and still enjoy the convenience of not having to carry their key, for the paltry cost of about $35 plus installation.

The choice is yours. I'd be interested to hear your comments in the box below. Comments are subject to moderation.

2 Factor Authentication - Google, Amazon, Facebook Offer Improved Security To Protect Your Data

What Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Is - And How to Enable It


The large internet companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook, have been busy the last couple of years designing new security protocols in the wake of a number of much publicised data-breaches that have affected millions of people across the world.

2 factor authentication is not a new concept, however an increasing number of security system providers have been including new high-security initiatives, aimed at securing our individual and collective data from the prying eyes of cyber crooks.

You may or may not have been affected by a cyber-security breach, in recent times. Credit card companies, banks, even department stores have fallen prey to cyber-criminals, who have stolen private credit data, social security numbers, telephone numbers, addresses, email addresses etc among other personal details.

Some people have discovered that their credit ratings have been severely affected by these crooks, even to the point that they cannot even access their own private details. Criminals have found simple ways to be able to lock you out of your own accounts.

A great many users operate an email account using the popular Gmail system, but apparently less than 10% of Gmail users, adequately protect their addresses with multi-factor authentication

 This is proving to be a large factor affecting far too many people. Many new security products, alarm systems, door locks etc are introducing multi-factor authentication protocols to better protect users of their modern products.

Tom's Guide provide an article on how to set up 2 factor authentication with various large online companies. Check out their link to learn more.

The main reason we decided to include this article here, is due to us learning that behemoths like Google are introducing physical security keys to assist with multi-factor authentication procedures. This especially interests us because companies like Google have been instrumental, the last 10-15 years in designing and building electronic "keyless" products aimed at simplifying our lives, That they realize (what we) physical security product providers have been saying for so long, is almost a testament to the benefits that physical security products provide, over and beyond many electronic products.

The source below, provides another link to a Tom's Guide article that peaked our interest and propelled us to write this article.

You dont have to purchase your security key from Google. There are other providers.

If you like to be able to protect your data from the chance of being "hacked", perhaps altering your procedures for "logging in" to your portals should be a worthwile consideration.

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AI Powered 3D Security Camera Manufacturer Closes Down

Back in mid 2017, a new company formed to produce and sell an ambitious new product called the Lighthouse AI Security Camera.

Well known former Google manager Andy Rubin was instrumental in the development of this technology.

Well, another one bites the dust....

The company just announced that they are closing due to insufficient sales orders of the revolutionary product.


Originally the company claimed...

The camera is powered by AI and a 3D sensor that can supposedly distinguish people from pets and recognize faces. Its onboard laser (similar to the 3D sensing devices used by self-driving cars) can measure the structure of what it sees and therefore differentiate objects and people from one another. Because of this capability, Lighthouse promises that you won't be bothered by false security alerts from shadows or pets because the camera can tell small objects from large ones.

The AI also understands normal speech patterns, so you can ask the camera questions like, "Did anyone walk the dog between 10 and 11 am?" The different types of tech within the camera work in tandem to deliver a full experience.

"Custom optics for a time-of-flight camera that directly measures the 3D structure of the environment," CEO Alex Teichman says in a blog post. "Recurrent neural networks for computer vision specifically tailored for use cases within the home. And a natural language interface to simplify -- and amplify -- the user experience."

A announcement on their website (in the source) below explains they are shutting down and closing their doors. It seems apparent that not enough customers were happy to pay $300 for each unit and a $10/month access fee for this advanced technology.

The announcement thanks their few customers for their interest.

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International Building Code Integral To Life Safety And Protection On Display in Alaska Earthquake

Image source

The recent earthquake that hit just south of Anchorage Alaska has been all over the news in recent days, however for some reason it appears to have been forced back from the headlines, unfortunately due to no deaths and little injuries having occurred.

Reporting has been slow, especially about the fact that Alaska took it upon themselves to ensure strict adherence to the International Building Code, to shore up and protect the citizens and residents of Alaska.

There is considerable, continuing discussion across my industry about building codes and life safety codes because the locksmith and door industry perform integral acts in installation of doors and lock systems that can have telling effects on all our lives.

The International Building Code has been agreed upon by an international coalition of countries as a minimum standard by which all people on the planet can benefit from the safety concerns of our leaders. If you care to notice, the quantity of natural disasters appears to be on the increase in recent years, though this may also be due to better reporting by the mainstream news outlets too.

An article I read yesterday peaked my curiosity and leads me to write this post.

The article (in the source below) is by ABC News and tells about how the strict adherence to some of the highest standards of the International Building Code in Alaska, actually made a huge difference in protecting the residents and citizens who choose to live in that beautiful state.

The article tells that the magnitude 7.0 earthquake was one of the largest recorded in state history since the devastating 1964 quake that caused monumental losses of life and properties.

And that the primary reason there was little damage (comparatively), this time around was because Alaska adopted strict building code policies, some superior to the agreed minimum standards set forth by the agreed International Building Code.

The article quotes the current Alaskan Governor Bill Walker, "Building codes mean something". Gov. Walker himself was very thankful for the building codes, saying that sometimes people, including himself, gripe about stringent building codes but he's really glad they are in place because he only had minor water damage in his own home.

Further distressing was the after-shock that occurred within minutes of the initial 7.0. The 5.7 after-shock itself is also considered very substantial. There have been 550 plus after shocks since with at least 11 measuring 4.5 or greater.

The locksmith industry is often in the drivers seat of adherence to life safety codes and International Building Code adoptions. A great many consumers desire to install some products that just do not comply with the minimum standards set forth by the code, in attempt to increase their perception of security for their homes and work places. We often are asked to install double-cylinder deadbolt locks to residents primary entrance doors, for which we refuse every time. We always advise our clients and potential clients that life safety ALWAYS exceeds security, We only recommend single-cylinder deadbolts be installed to primary entrances (like the main front door and main back door).

I will often quote a story I remember from the late 1980's, when I lived and worked in California. There was an instance where a burglar had broken into a home that actually had double-cylinder locks installed on their doors. The burglar had pulled some shingles from the roof and jumped in through the ceiling. Unfortunately an electrical fire started while the burglar was inside and he was killed in the fire while the house was burned down. Now, many people might think that he received his come-uppence and bad luck for him. But the investigators proved that the reason the burglar perished was due to the installation of double cylinder deadbolt locks that prevented him from easily escaping the burning building. Authorities proceeded to charge and convict the homeowner and the technician and company that installed the locks with manslaughter. The courts threw the book at these people and each convicted person received the maximum sentence available to the court of 25 years incarceration and $250,000 fine each. To top it off, the insurance company refused to compensate the homeowners for the loss of their property because "Ignorance is no defense" and to continue to insure them for clearly violating the law might have supposedly put the insurance company as an accessory after the fact.

So, not only were the company who provided the locks found guilty and incarcerated, but the specific technician too, the homeowner and the homeowners family was refused compensation by the insurance company. I later heard that the burglars next of kin also sued in civil court for loss of income, but i am not sure about that outcome.

This example, reiterates why, as a locksmith professional it is vital and important that we stay apprised of changes and modifications to the International Building Code and any modifications that separate local and state governments might apply in local regions. The health, welfare and life safety can depend on our being compliant with the codes written deliberately to protect us.

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Artificial Intelligence Now Capable Of Bypassing Fingerprint Security

Artificial Intelligence has grown in recent years to such a point that according to a team of 5 NYU researchers, fingerprint identification, found in many products today, including but not limited to deadbolt locks, entrance sets, electric strike user interfaces, access control and time clocks, among other modern day electronic products, is now able to contravene the once thought of high security alternative to mechanical key entry systems.

We have previously touted the benefits of biometric fingerprint security scanners that were/are included in a great many differing products, including a (now discontinued) high security deadbolt lock that we sold many years ago. We realized the error of our ways, when a number of older clients were finding tremendous difficulty in registering and using the fingerprint deadbolt locks we once recommended. Specifically we found that if you were over 55 years of age, your fingerprints wear more quickly as you age. This proved to be an impediment to future sales of fingerprint operated biometric products because many elder users would have been the primary beneficiaries of keyless, fingerprint operated lock systems.

It is obvious that Apple, recognized the limitations of fingerprint identification systems when they decided to discontinue fingerprint readers in many of their largest selling product lines, like the iPhone, the iPad and other products. Many competing product manufacturers also included fingerprint readers in a host of other products, hoping to also cash in on the once burgeoning sector of the electronics products markets.

An excerpt from the article quoted in the source below explains....

"Named ‘DeepMasterPrints’, the set of fake fingerprints was generated by the NYU scientists using a neural network to be some sort of ‘master key’ for biometric authentication systems that have an error rate of one in a thousand. To work this well, DeepMasterPrints takes advantage of two properties fingerprint authentication systems have: that they scan only a part of the finger at any given time and not the whole finger; and that some features of fingerprints are more common than others. 

So, the weakness in the system here, explains The Guardian, is that fingerprint scanners never blend all the partial images to match a full fingerprint against a full record. Instead, they just compare a partial scan against partial records. This means that attackers need only match one of tens or even hundreds of recorded fingerprints in order to gain access into a secured system.

The scientists’ presented their research paper at a biometrics conference in Los Angeles in October. “The underlying method is likely to have broad applications in fingerprint security as well as fingerprint synthesis,” said NYU’s Philip Bontrager, the lead author of the paper in a statement to Gizmodo. “A similar setup to ours could be used for nefarious purposes, but it would likely not have the success rate we reported unless they optimized it for a smartphone system."

Naturally, as a security services and products provider, we try to remain updated on issues affecting security products and services to enable us to provide our growing lists of customers with updated information regarding products and services aimed at minimizing issues and mitigating security loopholes.

Apple, introduced facial recognition in many of their products, which seems to be becoming quite widely accepted across the wider marketplace.

We highly recommend consulting your local trained and qualified locksmith technician, who can advise you on great quality secure products that will provide continued secure access to your properties and security systems.

At Master Key Systems America LLC, we provide Extreme Security Bilock Restricted mechanical key systems that are virtually unparalleled across the world for bump proof and virtually pick proof locks and cylinders that use virtually copy proof, unique color coded keys. We can produce complex master key systems that can operate up to 1.7 billion separate locks.

There are other brands of high security mechanical key systems that also offer quality security. Contact your local professional locksmith to learn more.

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New Award

For the 11th consecutive year we have been selected as a recipient of the St Louis Award - Locksmith and Keys category.

While it is nice to be recognized, we are not in business to receive awards. Our reward comes from helping our customer with their keys, locks and door issues.

A copy of the press release is below and a link to the source too.



Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Master Key Systems America, LLC Receives 2018 St. Louis Award

St. Louis Award Program Honors the Achievement
ST. LOUIS November 14, 2018 -- Master Key Systems America, LLC has been selected for the 2018 St. Louis Award in the Locksmiths & Keys category by the St. Louis Award Program.
Each year, the St. Louis Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the St. Louis area a great place to live, work and play.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2018 St. Louis Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the St. Louis Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About St. Louis Award Program

The St. Louis Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the St. Louis area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.
The St. Louis Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.
SOURCE: St. Louis Award Program

CONTACT:
St. Louis Award Program

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Antique Locks - A Collection Of Articles Written By Us That Are Proving Popular

We organize  categories or subject headings or labels on the right side of this website, where you can view all the articles we have submitted under that label.

One of our more popular labels/categories we find to be Antique Locks.

One article that we have seen a relatively large number of pageviews in our site analytics is...

History Of Locks - Sargent & Greenleaf

Sargent & Greenleaf are arguably the second most well known lock industry brand. Right behind Yale. Their history dates back to 1857, when young James Sargent, an engineer with Yale & Greenleaf, decided to branch out on his own with his invention, a magnetic dial combination lock.

Halbert Greenleaf was the partner and financier (known today as Venture Capitalist) of Linus Yale Jr. Yes, the same Linus Yale Jr credited with the invention of the modern day pin tumbler lock cylinder system, which was awarded it's patent in 1865. Their joint company was called originally Yale & Greenleaf. Halbert Greenleaf ended his partnership with Linus Yale Jr. at the outset of the American Civil War to become an officer in the Union army. After completing his service, Halbert sought out his former employee James Sargent and decided to finance his company, creating what we know today as Sargent & Greenleaf.

The above 7 minute video gives a brief history of the evolution of the company from it's roots.

It is interesting to see in the video, some of the products that Sargent & Greenleaf produced, many of which are still in operation today in the field. Products like the reversible panic exit device, door security bolts, entrance door hardware, push/pull plates among others.

Below find a 15 minute industrial video from the 1950's that shows the production of Sargent & Greenleaf products.

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There are about 13 separate articles appearing under the Antique Locks label, of which you might be interested in reading some of them in the list. Just click on Antique Locks here or on the link in the categories menu.


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Tesla Model 3 Key Fob - New Accessory Introduced Because Of Sufficient Demand

Tesla - the modern day electric car manufacturer, have been producing some exciting new vehicles in recent years and the release of their newest model - The Tesla Model 3 - the engineers have capitulated to customers demands for using a key fob rather than just your cell phone with Bluetooth or the included proximity card. (see video below)




The new accessory images were recently leaked and we show them below...

According to Electrek, users of the new model complained about the lack of a key fob option to which Tesla decided to produce a fob similar to the types used in the Model S and Model X.

Tesla, reknowned for pushing the envelope in modern engineering, decided early to adapt their offerings to eventually remove the mechanical keyswitch from their vehicles, saving costs and manufacturing conveniences.

The source below offers some additional images of the fob. Note: Thos fob is only for the Tesla Model S.

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Yale Confirms Connectivity Agreement With Comcast Xfinity Home

Yale Assure Locks with Wifi, Zigbee or Z-wave are now able to use the Xfinity Home Connectivity Service provided by leading communications provider Comcast.

Yale are well known across the globe for their longevity in the lock manufacturing industry.
their products are found in just about every country in the world.

The booming digital technology security products market continues to see massive growth and big players like Yale have not made their intentions secret. The number of products they make that already communicate with your home communications networks continues to amaze.

In such a crowded market, having a name like Yale is sure to be a game changer and finding competitive value remains a challenge. At least you can be assured that Yale continues to bring to market quality products at competitive prices, based on their 150+ years of continuous operations.

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Controversial Opinion In New Article Suggests Why NOT To Recommend Or Buy An Amazon Echo Smart Speaker

A new article has appeared that discusses the authors reasoning about why you should think twice before purchasing an Amazon Echo smart speaker.

A group of hackers at the recent hacker convention Defcon Security Conference in Las Vegas, presented a discussion about the ease in hacking the Amazon Echo and using it to "listen" (spy) on anyone speaking within it's vicinity.

Apparently (and reasonably), the researchers informed Amazon in advance about their findings, prior to making the presentation at the conference.

Amazon had implemented a patch for their top selling product after being informed and a spokesperson for Amazon advised that the vulnerability required physical access to the product, to enable the hack. The security patch was released in July.

Of concern, is the fact that the researchers DID NOT have physical access to the devices in question. They only had access to the LAN (Local Area Network).

The article appears in the source below.

The reason we include this article in our site, is because Amazon Echo devices and other smart speakers are increasingly being used to operate smart home product including (but not limited to) electronic door security products, deadbolts, alarm systems, cameras.

Personally, I feel that the article should have been worded differently and that authors should think hard before directly vilifying another company's product offering.

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Allegion Announce Acquisition Of Leading Australian Residential Hardware Manufacturer And Largest Australian Locksmith Company

Breaking News: Allegion, the parent company announced 30 days ago (May 13, 2018), their acquisition of leading Australian residential door hardware manufacturer Gainsborough and at the same time the acquisition of Australia's largest locksmith service provider API Locksmiths.















Gainsborough produce many leading residential door hardware among other offerings.

Gainsborough Hardware can be found in many dwellings and is even becoming a sought after offering to the wider USA market.





API Locksmiths are one of Australia's oldest and longest established locksmith companies. In fact, I completed my apprenticeship with AF Stewart Locksmiths in 1988 before they were later (much later) acquired by API Locksmiths.

This acquisition by Allegion is a major shake up of the locksmith market across Australia.






Allegion are well known in North America and around the world as the parent company behind brands like:

AD Systems

AD Systems are a company first established in 2013 specializing in upscale commercial sliding door entrance systems, tailored to hospitals, medical clinics and offices to meet the modern needs of doctors, architects and space conscientious builders and tenants.

Deadly Attack Feared As Hackers Target Industrial Sites

Following up to our post of a few days ago, the left leaning news site, The Hill, have written a new article determining that foreign cyber hackers appear to be targeting industrial sites, with deadly consequences feared.

The article in the source below, tries to predict where these criminals are aiming their espionage.



The wonders of the modern Internet of Things (IoT) age that we currently are living in, is not immune to the efforts of the nefarious among us, who try repeatedly to develop methods and means for disrupting our lives and causing havoc to our sense of security and well-being.

I'm a 35 year veteran of the locksmith industry, with experience gleaned from having worked on 4 continents.

During the many years of exposure to security needs and wants of various customers around the world, I have found that many just desire to use quality products that operate easily, are competitively priced and above all, long lasting with little to no maintenance.

Electronic security products have been evolving over many years. Originally, finding battery powered security products was difficult, because good security requires stable power systems and batteries that continually need replacing, inhibit a product from performing to a sufficient standard continuously and without maintenance.

There are a great many AA and AAA battery powered door locks, cameras, door bells, alarm systems etc, that offer wide choices and features to whet our appetites. Unfortunately, to be able to offer the convenience of battery power, many of these products require to reduce the security elements inside, including the security of communication connections that "talk" to our home routers, Bluetooth devices etc. The article on Thursday and this follow up, point to this too.

When you consider that for many hundreds (if not thousands) of years, we have been securing our homes and businesses with mechanical products, that stood the test of time, doesnt it make complete sense that we should continue to use the mechanical security products to protect us?
Especially considering that mechanical products are often single purchase, come with significantly longer warranty periods, require significantly less maintenance and are (for the most part) significantly more competitively priced than electronic products of the same genre.

I understand some consumers desires to enjoy "Keyless Convenience". But in reality, a code can be shared more easily than a key and often you cant know how many different people "know" your entry code.

Whereas with a number of mechanical key products, you can be all but completely assured your entries are virtually bump proof, copy proof and extremely pick/bypass resistant. Providing you the security your home, family, office and colleagues deserve, while being super competitively priced compared to electronic and battery operated products. The maintenance costs alone are significantly less.

And with the increasing number of cyber warfare attacks, being reported across news sources (and how many are going unreported?), just how can we protect ourselves, if not for quality mechanical security products?

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Breaking News: FBI To America: Reboot Your Routers Immediately

Breaking News: The Federal Bureau of Investigations recently released an alert to all Americans who may use an Internet connected router in their homes and businesses.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center sent a rare Public Service Announcement declaring, "Foreign Cyber Actors have compromised hundreds of thousands of home and office routers and other networked devices worldwide."


A great many security products today are using router connected protocols to connect those devices to internal residential and commercial networks.

Many of these products including (but not limited to) alarm systems, closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), door locks, intercom systems and door bells etc, are often connected to WiFi routers in your home or office.

The nature of today's consumer marketplace appears to be fascinated by the growing Internet of Things (IoT) products that enable many of us to enjoy modern "connected" services that protect us, make our lives easier and keep us in communication range with each other.

The locksmith industry worldwide continues to evolve and many locksmiths today are busy recommending and installing modern "connected" security products, meeting the increasing demands of the marketplace.

Some of these "new generation" products are very good quality and often expensive too. Maintaining the security of your home and business is of paramount importance to protecting our families and our colleagues, aside from our customers.

According to the FBI, hackers are using VPNFilter Malware to target small office and home office routers saying, "VPN Filter is able to render small office and home office routers, inoperable" and are warning, "The malware can potentially also collect information passing through the router. Detection and analysis of the malware's network activity, is complicated by it's use of encryption.".

The FBI recommends, "any owners of small office and home office routers, reboot the devices to temporarily disrupt the malware and aid the potential identification of infected devices".

They also advise to consider disabling remote management settings on devices, use encryption and choose new and different passwords.

With the increasing number of "connected devices" in the wider market, security of your home, office and other connected products are potentially gravely affected by this new hack.

We suggest that all our customers and anyone using or relying on Internet Connected devices, including your door locks, your CCTV systems, your alarm systems and your door bells or intercoms, to immediately perform a soft reset of your WiFi routers. This action will temporarily mitigate the malware's operation. It may not completely remove the malware from an infected router and if you are further concerned, we suggest you perform a factory hard reset of the router.

We have been writing about security issues with IoT devices, in increasing articles in the last 12 months.

Some of these articles include:

New Digital 'Hurricane' Churns Gathering Strength To Land Blow On The Internet

KRACK - Dangerous WiFi Security Flaw Discovered. And It Affects ALL WiFi Devices

BlueBorne - A New Attack That Exposes Almost Every Bluetooth Connected Device

AirB&B - Lockstate WiFi Door Locks Bricked By Manufacturer Update.

Internet-Connected Garage Door Operator Disabled In Retaliation For Bad Review

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