iPhone 5S Fingerprint Scanner Hacked - Faith In Biometric Fingerprint Control Begins To Decline

Apple's new iPhone 5S has only been out a few days now, but already some enterprizing German hackers have discovered a flaw with the biometric fingerprint access control function.
(The video after the jump shows how the hack works. )

It is no secret that I have mentioned reasonably often in the recent past about the limitations of fingerprint biometrics.

A few years ago, I was offering (what I thought was) a brilliant product that used a fingerprint scanner as the access control solution. It turns out that I couldnt have been more wrong. I discovered, through significant trial and error that biometric fingerprint scanners are faulty by design.

I think that one of the reasons that fingerprint identification became the rage, a few years ago, was because law enforcement and investigation services have been using the technology for many years to assist with forensic investigations. While it has proved to greatly assist investigators with identifying suspects, the technology must have been misinterpreted when someone thought they could use the technology as an access control solution.

After selling numerous fingerprint scanner products to concerned customers, I was disappointed to discover that most of the products available incurred serious sensitivity issues. Specifically, that people over aged 55 had enormous difficulty operating the devices unless the scanner sensitivity was turned down to zero. This directly reduced the perceived security of the devices. But that was not the only problem...

Kwikset Smartkey - More Problems

Kwikset Smartkey Problems is one of the leading search engine keywords that brings people to this site.

Many people get to this page and leave a comment or read other pages within.

Mark Tobias and his team of researchers just released an updated story (see Source below) about a new hack that renders the security of almost any Kwikset, Baldwin or Weiser lock system, that essentially use the Smartkey platform, easily defeated with virtually no damage.

I am not sure how long the video will be active, but if you are a Kwikset Smartkey owner or are contemplating buying one, you really need to be made aware of this products shortcomings.

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Schlage Primus and Similar High Security Key Profiles Beaten By 3D Printing

Schlage, one of this countries most well known hardware and lock manufacturers and creator of the High Security Primus key systems must be reeling from news released yesterday that a team of MIT researchers have written a simple program to decipher a Primus (and similar types) key from a photograph and send the information to a 3D printer to enable duplication of these once-thought of restricted key systems. (see the source below)

The Schlage Primus key system, once thought by locksmiths across the country to be non-duplicatable, and also identified a couple of years ago as NOT Bump Resistant, faces one of the biggest threats to it's platform with the public release of this breaking news story.

In many states across the country, Schlage convinced locksmith companies to take on their own outright keyways and dealer codes, to corner their own market preventing duplication of keys by hardware stores, cookie key cutters, shoe repairers and gas stations. Little did we know that Schlage were simply sharing key profiles across state, sometimes county lines and in some cicumstances sharing side pin codes (dealer codes) across state lines. The whole agreement appeared very shady, indeed.

3D printing technology has grown from it's infancy and is now being seen and used by small to medium sized manufacturing businesses.

UPS are rolling out a trial 3D printer in some stores in San Diego, hoping to cash in on the opportunity for customers to 3D print a sample or spare part of their choice.

With access to many print stores across the country, the potential loss to current Schlage Primus dealers could be huge. It means that virtually any Primus key holder could get a copy made for less than $5 at their local print store. Dont think for a minute, that the large players in stationery and printing like Staples, Office Depot and the like, with super large budgets wont get in on the action of on demand 3D printing. Hardware big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot will jump in too and offer 3D printing in their one-stop franchises.

Other brands that use a similar system to Primus, include Medeco, Scorpion, Twin and some other brands.

This realization that your key system is not actually secure as you expected will mean that you will need to find systems that do as intended. Our Bilock Extreme Security Key Systems are carefully designed to prevent unauthorised duplication and with the introduction of the 13th element, a trigger mechanism that is interactive, 3D printing of a useable key is just not possible (at this time).

Bilock is well known worldwide for being a premium quality high-security restricted key system that outperforms virtually all other systems. It's unique keyway and pinning system, combined with state of the art side-bar technology and interchangeable core functionality and color coded key heads, makes it a formidable partner in the security of your home and business.

We are the largest provider of Bilock Systems in the Mid-West, using state of the art master key software to create, design and build our own systems. We have nearly 25 years international experience in the product line and have installed many of the most complex systems to universities, hospitals, private schools, casino's and hotels across the world.

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Fingersafe - Protecting Your Fingers

Security products often involves not just protection systems designed at mitigating or reducing unauthorised entry. Often safety products are combined with security products to provide products and services aimed at making all our lives safer and more secure.

Fingersafe® is one such product designed especially to attach to entry doors (or just about any swinging door) that closes the gap on the hinge side of the door, preventing injury from fingers jammed in the hinge side.

Especially produced with a concertina/accordian like design, the product attaches to almost any hinge side door jamb and prevents your child or anyone from a world of pain.

Liability costs for business owners are skyrocketing. Awards in the United States have been as high as $750,000 for a child’s amputated fingertip. Retailers, restaurants and child-care facilities are the most common types of businesses at risk.

Fingersafe® is Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) approved with a fire rating of four hours. It can be installed on any fire door and has been tested and complies with the following standards: NFPA 252, UL 10B, UL 10C, ASTM E-152, CAN4 S-104, and UBC7-2 (1997).

Fingersafe® was awarded a United States Government contract and is the recommended door safety product for US Government and Military child care facilities.

Applications for Fingersafe® Door Hinge Guards include schools, youth centers, fast food restaurants, hospitals, ships, factories, universities and churches. 

More and more standards now require door safety devices in recognition of the need to eliminate this type risk.

Fingersafe® is available in White, Black, Brown and Gray and in various lengths. e.g. 80 inches, 83 inches and 96 inches. It can also be produced in additional colors and lengths on special order.


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Cowdroy P697 Keyed Pocket Door Lock - Additional Inventory Discovered

We recently discontinued this product line due to the concerns about using a double cylinder product on entry doors. The international building code suggests that the use of double cylinder lock products potentially could cause life threatening issues if someone was accidentally locked inside a room. Life Safety codes in the USA, also require that all door locks require the ability for any person inside to be easily able to escape.

We just cleaned our inventory room and discovered (to our surprise) 2 in Satin Chrome and 2 in Polished Brass.

We are pleased to make these available to the first people who contact us requesting so, by email. They are $125.00 each + shipping.

IQ - Intelligent Key Management Alternative

The IQ Key management system is a robust and superior key control and access management system similar to the Traka product that is used widely by many automobile dealerships and hospitals.

Simple to configure and competitively priced to Assa-Abloys product, the IQ system offers an alternative that concerned security management controllers should look into to compare possibilities.

The video (after the jump) shows how simple the system is to use. It includes options for proximity card access and/or PIN access control.

Take The Pledge - With D&D Technologies

D&D Technologies have been mentioned in this website quite often over the last few years because they produce some of the finest lock and safety products on the planet.

With the summer swimming season fast approaching, please join us in taking the pledge to get involved in spreading the message that Simple Steps Save Lives.

Facts:

• Drowning is the second-leading cause of death to children ages 1-4 in the United States.
• Drowning is the number one cause of death to children ages 1-4 in most southern states.
• In many cases, drowning is a silent event, without splashing or a call for help.
• In most areas of the country, the majority of child drownings occur in backyard pools & spas.
• Scientific research, engineering advancements, legislation, community outreach, and education are all necessary strategies, on the national level, to prevent drownings.

Please visit ddtech/pledge to sign the pledge and help to make pool safety and the lives of our children safer this summer.

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Kwikset Smartkey Problems Continues To Lead Researchers Here...

Our post from a few years ago about Kwikset Smartkey Problems, continues to send a great many visitors to this site.

Essentially, the post includes a video of the primary issue, with some customers comments included. I'm sure if you continue to search the web, you will find numerous other web logs from people who also commented on the increasing number of problems.

I have determined through trial and error and talking with many clients, that the primary issue people face, is the ability to get duplicate working keys for their Kwikset Smartkey Locks.

If you require duplicate keys for your Kwikset Smartkey Locks, be sure to visit your local locksmith and deliberately ask for factory produced original Kwikset keyblanks. And then ask to have your key originated, instead of duplicated. A new factory originated Kwikset Smartkey blank, cut to code on a code machine will work simpler and easier with much more reliability than any duplicated copy.

Be sure to ask for original factory Kwikset keyblanks and not after market copies (like Ilco or Axxess or similar).

Now, I realize that it may not be convenient for you to look for your nearest locksmith shop, but you already decided to purchase your Kwikset Smartkey product from somewhere other than a locksmith and most probably because you intended on saving some money.

You know what that says, right?


Paying Peanuts, Gets You Monkeys!

Abloy Vulnerability Discovered In Finland

Breaking News: March 13, 2013

Abloy, the world's largest lock and key product manufacturing company, today denied reports about a vulnerability discovered in the patented disc detainer locking system

Finish police are investigating a string of break ins, where the attacker apparently removed a building master key, housed in a wall safe (for emergency authority access) that was designed to operate communal doors, maintenance rooms etc, then smashed one apartment door to remove the lock and proceeded to dismantle the key cylinder to determine the master key for the apartment complex, using the available sub master key, found in the emergency access vault and determining the discs in the cylinder he managed to access.

He was then able to determine the correct building master key and open all the apartments in that building.

A long time locksmith with over 40 years experience was called in by authorities to forensically verify the police assumption and he found their theory plausible and on point.

Abloy is well known across the world for it's strength and simplicity. It is well knows for it's virtually unlimited master keying properties and until now, was thought to be among the most secure of the available mechanical key security products found in the world.

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'Nightmare' Bacteria Spreading In U.S. Hospitals, Nursing Homes According To The CDC

An article has appeared in MSN News in the last few days alerting readers to a bacteria that is showing signs of resistance to powerful anti-biotics.

"The  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  said 4 percent of U.S. hospitals and 18 percent of nursing homes had treated at least one patient with the bacteria, called Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), within the first six months of 2012."

"CRE are nightmare bacteria. Our strongest antibiotics don't work and patients are left with potentially untreatable infections," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said in a news release. "Doctors, hospital leaders and public health [officials] must work together now to implement the CDC's 'detect and protect' strategy and stop these infections from spreading."

Serrature Meroni, the Italian manufacturer of nouveau door locks and cabinet and furniture hardware, developed their patented Anti-Bacterial handlesets a few years ago, just as the world was learning about Bird Flu.

Magna Latch By D&D Technologies - The Worlds Most Sought After Swimming Pool Security Product

We have been extolling the virtues of this fabulous Australian company for a few years now and we continue the series with another video from their range of products.

It wouldnt surprise me that you have seen a lock system like this in your neighborhood, because the MagnaLatch by D&D Technologies is the number one sought after pool gate locking system made.

Endorsed by more local city inspectors and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) than virtually any other competing brand, the MagnaLatch is one of, if not, the simplest product of it's kind to install. It is far more competitively priced than other comparable systems and is well known the world over as simply "The Best".

You wouldn't trust your security and the safety of your children to just anyone, would you?

The MagnaLatch has been around about 25 years. It consists of a top pull handle that is key lockable using the well known Lock Focus cam lock key systems. Most keys are coded, allowing for easy replacement from your local locksmith company. We can even master key them if desired.

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D&D Technologies - Superior Gate Lock And Hinge Technologies

D&D Technologies have been mentioned a few times previously in this blog. We showed the fabulous LokkLatch gate locking product.

D&D Technologies are another forward thinking Australian company making an impact on the world market.
They have been the preferred manufacturer for all residential and commercial garden and pool fences and gates for over 25 years in Australia.

They have made an impact on the market in other countries too, including the USA. In fact, many local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) specify D&D Technologies products as the accepted minimum standard for pool and gate security.

Above is another video from their range that shows the very versatile spring loaded hinges and why they are such a sought after product. The ease of installation, the quality of material, the range of applications and the ease of adjustment explain why builders, contractors, locksmiths and gate suppliers all over the world love and recommend their products.

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BMWs made before September 2011 at risk of theft from $30 cloned key-fobs (but company says it is 'not legally obliged to help out')

An enterprising gang of car thieves were caught last year on CCTV showing them succeeding in stealing a pre-2011 model BMW motor car.

According to the article, thieves are generally able to go online to any number of asian internet sites and purchase the required materials for around $30.00 and then program their own key to your vehicle.

The kits come with the fob, instructions etc that make this kind of modern day car theft all the more easy.

Essentially, almost nothing is thief proof today. If a determined thief wants in, they are getting in.

BMW claimed in a statement to The BBC that they are "not legally obliged to help out" but later followed up with extra tips to thwart theft of their more modern vehicles.

See the CCTV video (after the jump)

Creative Locksmithing - Keying

I am often called to repair and rekey projects from customers who have relied on poorly made copies of their existing keys.

 It probably isnt realised by most, that when a key is duplicated in a conventional key copying machine, every new copy is cut marginally deeper thanks to a tiny layer of metal on the selected for copying key, that is removed as the duplicator guide scrapes and measures the object key. This can also lead to the object key gradually becoming deeper and deeper consequently affecting the quality of all keys duplicated in future. Then, to make matter worse, more people take their copy of the original key to get that duplicated too. The ensuing domino effect happens here. Copies of copies of copies of original keys eventually producing keys that do not work as they are supposed to.
But how and why does this happen to me? is the cry usually heard.

The solution is to try to record the original factory specific key code or depths and store them safely so you can go to a professionally trained locksmith and ask for an original key manufactured to the factory specifications. Often this will be marginally more expensive than just duplicating a key would be, but the benefits of less wear on both keys and locks will save you money and heartache in the long term.

This rather long winded intro to Creative Locksmithing - Keying, probably is a bit much but I thought it might be interesting to know the reasons many duplicated keys dont work (besides the key cutters not knowing how to correctly service and adjust their machinery).

I attended a job site the other day

Hygienic Door Handle - By Stream Hygiene Ltd.

Stream Hygiene Ltd. are a UK based manufacturer of hygienic washroom (toilet) products. They manufacture and distribute hygienic washroom products including the brilliant Tornado hands free air dryer, zero flush waterless urinals and revolving toilet seat covers.

Their latest product is the Hygienic toilet cubicle door handle. This unique device is expertly designed to protect toilet users from the hazards of disease transfer through contact. It is a well understood practise that many bathroom users do not wash their hands when using the bathroom, but more so, immediately after using the toilet cubicle, there is rarely a wash basin in the same room, so after finishing your business, in all likelihood, you will touch the same handle that the previous user touched. This could significantly increase the chances of catching a transferable disease. [view video after the jump]

Dry Erase Marker - Modified To Hack Into Onity Hotel Room Door Locks

We recently published an article in this blog that has proven to be quite popular. The article:  Hacker beats The Worlds Most Prolific Hotel Room Door Lock  has been viewed about 5000 times since I wrote it.

It reprints an article from another source about Cody Brocious, who discovered a rather simple hack for defeating the most commonly found hotel room door lock made by Onity.

[See video after the jump]

SSH Service Designed to Manage Lost Keys

SSH Communications is a dedicated IT security company whose primary product line relates to securing computer infrastructures.

Founded in 1995, SSH Communications Security is the company that invented the SSHprotocol - the gold standard protocol for data-in-transit security solutions. Today, over 3,000 customers across the globe, including 7 of the Fortune 10, trust their Information Assurance Platform to secure the path to their information assets. Their platform enables businesses of all types and sizes to protect their information assets by:

• Developing gold standard data-in-transit security solutions that prevents data loss in both internal and external environments
• Delivering hardened perimeter security through our multi-channel two-factor authentication
• Providing internal security control management solutions that enables organizations to more easily manage user keys and monitor administrator traffic across your networks

Now, this is not the usual type of article we post here in this blog, but considering the quantity of new products that involve some kind of electronic/computerised security protocol today, we feel that it may be an appropriate fit to this reference site.

The Society Of Professional Locksmiths Becomes A Leading Authority For The Locksmith Industry - Thanks To FDNY

The Society Of Professional Locksmiths is an organization of professional locksmith owners and tradespersons whose intentions are to bring respect and admiration with ethical and moral business practises back to an industry that has seen the erosion of confidence in locksmiths, wane over the past few years, thanks to improprieties and shortcoming of other supposed industry organizations. The SOPL is fast becoming the industry's leading respected voice, training facility and source of products and services, that the market and industry have long been seeking. Unlike other locksmith industry organizations and training offerings, the SOPL developed their own superb in-house training guide and mentoring system that is second to none in the North American market. The following article is copied directly (with permission) from their website. If you like the article, please consider clicking the like buttons in the post. FDNY Keys Sold on EBAY - The NY Post - Where there's Smoke, there's Fire 10/07/2012 2 Comments On October 1st, 2012 a news story ran in the NY Post about a retired locksmith named Daniel Ferraris from New Jersey who sold a set of 5 keys on Ebay that were being called Masterkeys for the New York City Fire Department. Source - http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/lock_away_these_nyc_keys_g3PWCp3FzMapURRjyssJ4J This apparently angered NY City officials and public advocate Bill DeBlasio who raised concerns over terrorism. Keywords such as being alarmed, angered, lives at risk, safety, and more surfaced. Calls to Home Land Security were even made! DeBlasio himself went so far to say -  "We cannot let anyone sell the safety of over 8 million people so easily. Having these keys on the open market literally puts lives at risk. The billions we've spent on counter-terrorism have been severely undercut by this breech [sic]." A NYFD lieutenant said, “This guy should be prosecuted for selling something like that."

Hacker Beats The Worlds Most Prolific Hotel Room Door Lock

We found out about this exploit, about a month ago but were reluctant to post about it here because the company had not been informed of the fault in their product that allowed this simple hack to occur. We have since heard that Onity have produced a fix for the locks, however existing lock owners are required to purchase and install complete new hardware.

Cody Brocious estimates there are 4 million Onity HT locks worldwide

By James Holloway

What's the password?

If, during your next hotel stay, you're met with a lock on your door like that pictured above, it's time for a conversation with management. This is an Onity HT series lock. Cody Brocious claims that the company has sold 10 million of its various locks to hoteliers, accounting for half of all locks worldwide, and appearing in one in three hotels. Described by Onity as its "flagship product," the HT series lock is its big seller: Brocious reckons there are 4 million HT series locks out there. Why does this matter? It matters because on July 24, Brocious took to the stage at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas to demonstrate how to unlock one in a matter of milliseconds using gear you and I can buy off the shelf from Radioshack for under 50 bucks.

The problem is this. Each HT series lock includes a DC charger port on its underside. This is used by hotel staff not only to recharge the lock's batteries, but also to program the lock with the hotel's unique 32-bit sitecode. With a self-programmed Arduino board, a 5.6 k pull-up resistor, and a DC connector, you have the gear you need to talk to the lock. Obviously it's not as simple as sending an "Open Sesame" message to the lock—not quite, anyway. For that you'd need to know the 32-bit sitecode. How do you get the sitecode? Turns out you just ask the lock for it.

"Given an address, the lock will send back 16 bytes of memory from that point," Brocious explained on a slide from his July 24 presentation, entitledMy Arduino Can Beat Up Your Hotel Room Lock. And it transpires the the sitecode is stored at the same memory address on every single lock. No authentication is required to retrieve it. Bewilderingly, unlocking the door is as simple as feeding the sitecode back to the lock. Once your home-brew device is connected, Brocious claims the whole process of reading the memory to unlocking the door takes just 200 ms. Given access to spare key cards, the technique can also be used to program duplicate keys.

Home Invasion Statistics Across USA

Home invasions across the USA are increasing supposedly due to the poor economy and the ease at which perpetrators are learning to ply their trade, thanks in part to the enormous amount of information spreading across the internet.

There are a few companies here that are producing unique quality products aimed at preventing home invasions and identifying criminals.

StranDNA is one such company that produce a modern itteration of the ages old door chain.

Strikemaster II is produced by A Safe Homes International, designed to repair a broken door frame casing while at the same time preventing future door kick ins.

OnGard Door Brace is produced by an Atlanta based company designed to prevent door entry.

Bilock is an internationally acclaimed guaranteed 100% bump proof and virtually pick proof key system with keys that cannot be copied.

Many of the above products cannot be purchased at the big box stores, only from approved industry professional locksmith companies.

For further information on any of the above listed products, please contact us at your convenience.