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11-year-old Proves Locks Not So Secure

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the from-the-hands-of-babes dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A new security column at Engadget details the new 'old' threat of bumping locks. The article goes on to describe and demonstrate an 11-year-old girl bypassing a standard 5-pin lock at a recent DefCon Hacker Convention. The girl had no prior experience and didn't even understand the theory she was applying. Scary!"

29 of 454 comments (clear)

  1. Talent is where you find it by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

    . The girl had no prior experience and didn't even understand the theory she was applying.

    Sign her up as a /. editor, quick!

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:Talent is where you find it by gardyloo · · Score: 5, Funny

      *clap* *clap* *clap*

      Wish I had mod points.

          I dunno. The ability to give the clap seems a lot more meaningful.

    2. Re:Talent is where you find it by UnixRevolution · · Score: 3, Funny

      Don't worry, i have mod points, i can....D'OH!

      --
      You like your new Mac more than you like me, don't you, Dave? Dave? I asked...She said Yes.
    3. Re:Talent is where you find it by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Funny
      Someone gave the clap to me once. It meant a painful shot in the ass!

      Oh yeah? So how did you get rid of it?

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Great... by dan828 · · Score: 5, Funny

    So now we have to worry about the lockpicker's equivalent of a script kiddy.

    1. Re:Great... by novus+ordo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Professionals use their foot.

      --
      "You're everywhere. You're omnivorous."
    2. Re:Great... by JesseL · · Score: 5, Funny

      I thought professional thieves ran for public office.

      --
      "Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
    3. Re:Great... by waspleg · · Score: 4, Funny

      sorry, even we have standards

      -waspleg

    4. Re:Great... by raptorv99 · · Score: 2, Funny

      A lock is only meant to keep honest people out.

      --
      The finest shade.
      And what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul.
    5. Re:Great... by elrous0 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Geez, what do you keep in your house, The Hope Diamond?

      I myself prefer guard dogs with bees in their mouths and when they bark they shoot bees at you.

      -Eric

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  3. memories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The girl had no prior experience and didn't even understand the theory she was applying.

    Reminds me of high school.

    1. Re:memories by agent+dero · · Score: 5, Funny

      this is slashdot, no it doesn't

      --
      Error 407 - No creative sig found
    2. Re:memories by noidentity · · Score: 3, Funny

      The girl had no prior experience and didn't even understand the theory she was applying.

      Reminds me of high school fantasies.

      (you had left a word out)

  4. When I was her age... by Starteck81 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I use to pick the lock to the computer room at home with duck tape and a paper clip, AND I LIKED IT?

    P.S. I also use to walk up hill both ways in the snow to school.

    --
    "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed H
  5. Re:As with any security measure.. by snowgirl · · Score: 2, Funny

    Windows should lock from the inside, again with deadlocks.

    Maybe this would help keep the spyware off my computer...

    --
    WARNING! This girl exceeds the MAXIMUM SAFE standards established by the FDA for BRATTINESS
  6. So... by Cheapy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does that make her a door kiddy?

    --
    Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
    1. Re:So... by JesseL · · Score: 4, Funny

      latchkey kid.

      --
      "Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
  7. Bright Future In Something by queenb**ch · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yikes! The poor girl...she might get the wrong impression that this how she should make a living.

    Age 11 - 5 pin lock with wrong key
    Age 14 - 7 pin lock with picks
    Age 18 - Safes
    Age 21 - Bank Vaults

    So many banks...so little time

    2 cents,

    QueenB

    --
    HDGary secures my bank :/
  8. ROT13 by SirSlud · · Score: 2, Funny

    I used to use ROT13 to protect my files until I found out how unsecure it is. Now I ROT13 twice, just to make sure.

    --
    "Old man yells at systemd"
    1. Re:ROT13 by Reverend528 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Now I ROT13 twice, just to make sure.

      You know, you can save yourself a bunch of CPU cycles by just using ROT26 instead.

      --
      Badass Resumes
  9. no updates by elkosmas · · Score: 2, Funny

    The funny thing about doors is that there are no firmware updates on the internet...

  10. Re:hurr by flight_master · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do you work for Microsoft's Linux Labs?

    --
    "Free software" is a matter of liberty, not price.
  11. Expensive hobby by zpark · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sure it might be easy to bump a lock, but how many 11 year olds can afford a "kinetic energy tool"?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer/

  12. Re:deadlocks by omega9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Either way, Windows are still vulnerable.

    Look. There's no reason to bring Microsoft into this.

    --
    I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.
  13. Re:What about me? by initialE · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Look, a real-life FBI agent!"

    --
    Starbucks, Harbuckle of Breath.
  14. Switch to Linux. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1, Funny

    We knew windows were very unsecure. Now we know locks are unsecure either. People switch to Linux. NOW

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  15. Re:S&G by namgge · · Score: 2, Funny

    The most secure facility I've visited had a sergent in a green beret on the gate.

  16. Why on earth is she there? by sam991 · · Score: 4, Funny

    An 11 year old, with no prior experience in locks and clearly little interest in it not only attends the Defcon Hacker Convention, but takes the time to furnish us with a demonstration. The event took place from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th. Does she honestly have nowhere better to be?

    Won't somebody please think of the children?

    --
    "No, no, no, don't tug on that! You never know what it might be attached to."
  17. I tried bumping the lock on my back door by tinrobot · · Score: 4, Funny

    It didn't work, so I reached through the dog door and opened it from the other side.

    Yeah, we're really secure around here.