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Shrinky Dinks As a Threat To National Security

Posted by timothy on from the silly-putty-now-public-enemy-No.-2 dept.

InflammatoryHeadlineGuy writes "What do Shrinky Dinks, credit cards and paperclips have in common? They can all be used to duplicate the keys to Medeco 'high-security' locks that protect the White House, the Pentagon, embassies, and many other sensitive locations. The attack was demonstrated at Defcon by Marc Weber Tobias and involves getting a picture of the key, then printing it out and cutting plastic to match — both credit cards and Shrinky Dinks plastic are recommended. The paperclip then pushes aside a slider deep in the keyway, while the plastic cut-out lifts the pins. They were able to open an example lock in about six seconds. The only solution seems to be to ensure that your security systems are layered, so that attackers are stopped by other means even if they manage to duplicate your keys."

17 of 257 comments (clear)

  1. More power to Homeland Security by daveime · · Score: 5, Funny

    So now they'll not just confiscate my laptop when I arrive in the US, they'll also pinch my paperclips and credit cards ?

    1. Re:More power to Homeland Security by david@ecsd.com · · Score: 5, Funny
      Just hope that they don't confiscate your "shrinky dink."

      Thank you, I'll be here all week.

    2. Re:More power to Homeland Security by smittyoneeach · · Score: 3, Funny

      Department of Hurdling Sharks

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    3. Re:More power to Homeland Security by profplump · · Score: 3, Funny

      And if don't use a credit card to buy your tickets, you were already considered a potential terrorist.

      On the bright side, now that everyone is a potential terrorist, we can at least stop maintaining the list.

    4. Re:More power to Homeland Security by kcbanner · · Score: 5, Funny

      A kids toy, eh. Shrink Dinks, eh. Gets 'stiff', eh. God, don't let this hit Usenet.

      --
      Obligatory blog plug: http://www.caseybanner.ca/
    5. Re:More power to Homeland Security by PMuse · · Score: 3, Funny

      Good call leaving out "You put it in the oven."

      After all, this is /. -- people with ovens don't let the kids here play.

      --
      "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." --The American President (20.1.2009)
  2. You can copy keys? by narcberry · · Score: 5, Funny

    OMFG!

    --
    Modding me -1 troll doesn't make me wrong.
  3. Getting the key picture, is the key to success by Nymz · · Score: 4, Funny

    I suppose if I had a picture of someone's login and password, I might be able to deftly hack into their computer.

    1. Re:Getting the key picture, is the key to success by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sure, if their password is *******.

    2. Re:Getting the key picture, is the key to success by cheater512 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yep. Those little RFID tags are really good since you cant copy them. .....SHIT!!!!

  4. Re:They protect the White House? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 3, Funny

    Silly me, I thought that men with guns protect the White House.

    Wrong again, Dave. It's sharks with lasers. Everyone knows that.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  5. Re:the actual threath by cheater512 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Shrinky dink of course!
    It must be banned to protect national security!
    Visa cards as well.

    Hmm a idea.

    I am a Visa card confiscator from the NSA. Can I please have your card?

  6. Secret Service... by db32 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would hate to be the Secret Service guy that has to tell the President he can't have his Shrinky Dinks anymore.

    --
    The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
  7. Re:Is this surprising? by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 4, Funny

    Elminate the clean bright keys from the pool. Eliminate zero and one; the remaining pool has the combination. It's probably just four numbers, could be five.

    Now take your Timex/Sinclair and do the math.

    Let' see... *taps madly into his Timex/Sinclair*

    And the result is...

    12345

  8. Dammit by Moryath · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's the code on my luggage!

  9. I love this stuff by smchris · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kids didn't have credit cards when I was in high school but every lock in our school except the outside doors (which we could sometimes tape or the like) and the principal's office were simple spring locks. Take seconds to open any of them with a piece of plastic. We got so fluid at it we were observed once from a distance and just lied, "Hey, what do you mean? It was unlocked. We were just snooping around." and he didn't push it. Did stupid stuff like swapping teachers' home room desks on different floors or laying out chairs in the auditorium to spell out expletives. A separate group we taught unfortunately got into more hardcore vandalism.

  10. Re:Is this surprising? by marcansoft · · Score: 4, Funny

    You, sir, just reduced the security of your PINs to 34.93% of the original value.

    Have a nice day.