Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

AT&T Identifies Widespread Security Hole - In Locks

Posted by timothy on from the analogies-reversed dept.

__roo writes "The New York Times has an article [free registration required] about a researcher at AT&T Labs Research who has discovered a little-known vulnerability in many locks that lets a person create a copy of the master key for an entire building by starting with any key from that building, and it requires little more than a file and a few key blanks."

3 of 462 comments (clear)

  1. This is dumb by zanderredux · · Score: 0, Redundant
    All that is needed, Mr. Blaze wrote, is access to a key and to the lock that it opens, as well as a small number of uncut key blanks and a tool to cut them to the proper shape.

    How different is this from making an ordinary copy of a key, like people all around the world do everyday? It's like I borrowed the keys to someone's house, made a copy, gave the original back, and used the copy to open the door.

    Seems way too much noise for such a everyday thing.

  2. Re:of course by hatchet · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Actually this 'flaw' is because it's much cheaper to make such locks. And masterkeys have been is use for decades by our postmen.
    Anyway.. if someone wants to break a lock he will do it no matter what lock is it. But of course this article will not help with safety of our homes and offices. I doubt it will help thieves as well.

  3. Like this is new... by iceT · · Score: 1, Redundant

    It's called a skeleton key. They've been around for a hundred year.

    The trick is not giving keys to people who will miss use them.

    Think of it as 'root' access for a physical lock?

    --
    -- You can't idiot-proof anything, because they're always coming out with better idiots.