Duplicating Your Housekeys, From a Distance

Roland Piquepaille writes "Some clever computer scientists at UC San Diego (UCSD) have developed a software that can perform key duplication with just a picture of the key — taken from up to 200 feet. One of the researchers said 'we built our key duplication software system to show people that their keys are not inherently secret.' He added that on sites like Flickr, you can find many photos of people's keys that can be used to easily make duplicates. Apparently, some people are blurring 'numbers on their credit cards and driver's licenses before putting those photos on-line,' but not their keys. This software project is quite interesting, but don't be too afraid. I don't think that many of you put a photo of their keys online — with their addresses." I wonder when I'll be able to order more ordinary duplicate keys by emailing in a couple of photos.

Comments

It works with Medeco keys too

[davidwr]

You mean like this, but from 200 feet away?

It's only a matter of time before Google Maps 0wns your keys.

Not really useful or scary, but interesting

[ChenLiWay]

Keys only serve to keep honest people honest. A lock pick and torsion bar can mimic any (average) key anyways.

The story is interesting (on the subject of computer vision) but shouldn't scare anyone.

Bump keys more practical

[TheLink]

The keys in the pic seem to be the crappy "2-D" sort that are vulnerable to "bump keys".

It'll be much easier to just make a bump key and use it to break in covertly, than to bother making the "same key". Google for bump key videos.

You'd probably need better pics to make duplicates of those "3-D" keys - those with wedges and so on.

Re:Bump keys more practical

[TheLink]

While it's true you can't "bump" Medeco3 locks and you can't "eyeball" them easily, the photo thing works (I'm not sure but the Shlage Primus looks vulnerable too). http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/medeco-locks-cr.html

I wonder how easy it is to copy the Abloy style keys.

New abloy key: http://www.abloyusa.com/images/execkey.gif

Old: http://www.abloyusa.com/images/classickey.gif

I'm guessing that for the classic key there's a small set of possible angles. If that's true you should be able to easily copy it from a photo (if you can see enough of the angles).

Re:Bump keys more practical

[Archon-X]

Disklock Pros are rather hard to copy.

Taking eyeballing out of the picture - even if you have the code for the key on hand, your first problem is getting a blank.

Blanks are restricted, but even if you manage to get your hands on them, they're pre-cut at the abloy factory [usually 2 pins] depending on your account with them - to prevent locksmiths with less scruples than others cutting abloys.

Then of course, there's the machine to cut them. Even if you're filing by hand, the tolerances are fine, and the key configuration doesn't really take to soldering as regular keys do...

Re:Interesting but pointless

[zappepcs]

How much more wrong could you be? Got an enemy? Drink in the same bars? Got a camera phone? ... is the idea sinking in?

Re:Eyeballing my Cadillac

[pigiron]

I beg your pardon (NOT you rude sonofabitch!) but it took him all of three or four minutes to do it and without damaging my window seals, internal door mechanisms, or setting off any alarm.

Re:Eyeballing my Cadillac

[ivan256]

Try that on any '90s/early 2000s Cadillac. You can probably successfully break the window motor or wires, but you won't be getting the door open. The lock mechanism is low, and forward in the doors, slides horizontally, and is behind a metal bar. It's not like the typical car lock which is an actuated metal rod near the top back corner of the door. You would have to know exactly what the inside of the door looked like, and have bends in exactly the right spots on the tool to get the door open, and you'd have to get lucky that you don't short something.

It only takes a couple minutes to file some notches in brass. Probably less time than it takes to slim jim a Cadillac. And I know if I had the skills to eyeball something like that I'd show it off every chance I got.

Re:Interesting but pointless

[mlts]

This is what Assa-Abloy's Cliq technology is for. The cylinder has a small chip which gets power from a battery on the key, and if the key is correct (it uses a challenge/response system to validate the key's serial number), it will retract a small solenoid. The rest of the cylinder is mechanical with the same pick resistance as the line its in, be it Abloy Protech, Mul T Lock, or Medeco.

It will only work "Sometimes".

[raijinsetsu]

I have made thousands of key duplicates (family retail business), so I have a little knowledge in key duplication. Here's two bits of knowledge: 1) When you make a copy from the original key, the copy is, maybe, a hair off on either or both the pin offset and depth. Depending on the age and quality of the lock, this minor deviation can cause the key not to work. Copies from originals work (best guestimate) 99/100 times.
2) Most people do not have their original keys anymore. They have 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation keys. Every time you duplicate, the error multiplies just like using a photo-copier on a copy. With so much error, 3rd or later generations work (guestimate) 1 in 3 times.

So, even if this technology can duplicate your key by photo, unless they bring the key back to a locksmith (who has a special jig for cutting new originals using pins instead of the key -- gets rid of the "signal noise") or the software already adjusts for the "signal noise", there's a good chance the key won't work. It all depends on the source key and the lock.

I wouldn't be too worried about this.