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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.
looks like hiding your key in that rock was a good idea after all :)
It seems to me that the number of incidences where this could possibly be an issue is astronomically slim. Need picture of key, need to know where the key goes, and need the method of duplicating key with picture accurately enough to be of use. Then there has to be a pretty impresive reason why any of the other less complicated and faster ways of breaking in wouldn't be useful.
The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
The mind boggles.
Locks are to keep honest people out.
Who uploads photos of themselves (or others) holding credit cards or keys? In my entire life, I don't think I've EVER even TAKEN a photo like that, let alone thought about sharing it. Am I just bizarre or is it the people on Flickr? Ok, admittedly it could be both, but still....
I locked my Cadillac once and left my keys lying on the drivers seat. The locksmith successfully cut a new door key by hand just by looking at the key through the window.
make copies of my keys. Have fun "playing" with my pitbull waiting for you on the other side of the door.
Attention all planets of the Solar Federation! We have assumed control! - Neil Peart
You mean like this, but from 200 feet away?
It's only a matter of time before Google Maps 0wns your keys.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
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.
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.
That's nothing! On the Discovery Health channel there was a story about a man that swallowed his friend's car key. They were too drunk to drive home and he wanted to prevent his friend from driving while drunk. To make a long story short, the spare key was lost and they they were able to make duplicate keys from an X-Ray that clearly showed the key.
I have a great idea: use Hubble to get a picture of the key to the universe and ask walmart to make it very cheaply.
Get into my house however you want, my wife is going through menopause, she's bi-polar, and she has my shotgun.
In my other life, I eat cats.
Remember the old days when swingers used to have "key parties?"
For the young and innocent who have never been exposed to such debauchery -- they would get together and throw all the mens' motel room keys in a hat. Then the ladies would pick them out of the hat and go to that key's room....
Well, now the possibilities for adultfriendfinder dot com have just been expanded... Just post a picture of your key and wait for your new friends to show up!
In times of universal deceit, telling the truth gets you modded -1 Troll
I can't even get those chumps at home depot to give me a copy that works when they're using the original, much less a photograph.
Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
Well the word is out on bump keys, which are an easier method of entry in most cases, yet burglaries are down. I don't see key photos as a particularly meaningful threat to most of us.
I think your efforts are in vain. You are way more likely to have some thug just break the door down or smash a window. Usually the people that break into your house do not have the foresight to plan to this degree.
I think that a more valuable use of resources would be to recyle the tinfoil sitting on your head.
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The best antitheft device on my car is the manual transmission. ;)
The ratio of people to cake is too big
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.
I've seen it done. Thieves backed a truck up to one of the homes in my neighborhood, opened the garage door, wheeled out the appliances and left.
I saw it happen as did several other neighbors, but it was one of the showhomes the builder was trying to sell and we figured that they buyer probably wanted a different appliance option and they were just going to switch them out. In retrospect they probably went into the home when it was showing on the weekend and left a window unlatched.
They did it on a weekday afternoon, broad daylight and wearing somewhat matching uniforms and they just blended in.