Hey all, I have just been going through Matt Blazes website and stumbled across something he just posted.
Some college kid named Eric Michaud found a bypass for Mul-T-Lock, and IT WORKS, why in the HELL would he put something like that on the Internet.
It's not enough that he wastes his time telling locksmith secrets. Now he's corrupting students!!
He and the student worked out a fix that would be easily implemented "Such a modification would have the benefit of requiring no changes to the basic cylinder design or keys and existing locks could be retrofitted entirely through replacement of one or more top pin assemblies."
Isn't that what it is about, improving security flaws?
But what about the millions of cylinders already in the field?
Why couldn't he have just contacted Mul-T-Lock directly. I'm sure they would have been happy to find out that way, and make the changes. Instead he's compromised the security of all those people by publishing the information to the general public.
This ain't computer software, where it's as simple as downloading a patch. Do you really think that all those expensive cylinders are going to be replaced now? Do you know how much money we're talking? It's a unreasonable expectation to do that.
Seems to me they are more into making a name for themselves than truly improving the world's security. (Typical of the Tobias/Blaze crowd)
SHAMEFUL!
So tell me something new-I've already done this-I did'nt have to read a damn thing-only the lock. Oh yeah and I will call a friend of mine who sells Mul-T-Lok. He will be interested to know this-so thanks-Ironicly
Later, <sigh>.............boring
goma.
Yeah, let's keep information underground where only thieves can get it. We wouldn't want the people who make security decisions to have access to information.
Ignorance. It's your best defense.
Mul-T-Lock has known about this flaw for some time, and has taken no steps alert the public or change the flaw. I for one am glad that someone took the time to alert the public of a flaw in a lock that many rely on.
Really ? I'd like to hear the reasoning behind that assertion.
In this case you are correct. The thieves have as much right to the information as anyone else.
That's a common problem. While it stays the manf.s little secret, they don't need to spend £10 fixing the problem...
Sure makes me glad I didn't drop £80 on these rather easy to defeat "locks" last month...
Another perspective -
I recently had to select a high security lock for a cash drop. Since information on bypasses is readily available, I was able to make an informed decision (Medeco Patriot - and yes, I know the patent just expired). If information about security breeches consisted of "There is a flaw in model XYZ but I, as a trusted keeper of secrets known only to my fellow Ninja, cannot tell you" I would be unable to make an inelligent decision as it would not be possible to differentiate between real flaws and bogus posturing.
Under the current system, I simply have to read the posts and figure that a flaw is likley to be real if it reacts in posts of righteous indigation from those who feel that their knowledge belongs only with the brotherhood.
Funny thing - talk about a bypass and everyone starts to reply about how they "don't know if you are a criminal", but if you talk about rifle scopes on the gun forums you get answers, not replied like "how do I know you are really a hobbyist and not a budding assassin?"
Funny that you would have to worry about what kind of keyed lock cylinder to install on your cash drop...
You are worrying about a few people who have access to the keys obtaining duplicates...
I would be more concerned about the room in which this cash drop is kept -- is this room secure ??? Is it alarmed ??? If not than any cylinder you install is worthless to someone who knows where this safe is located and plans ahead to be present with some time to themselves...
When choosing something security related you must ALWAYS concern yourself with the weakest point of entry -- not on the shinyiness of a high security lock... A Medeco cylinder used on a non-worthy door will only result in you finding pieces of your door strewn about one day or a hole in the wall next to it and your valuables gone...
Evan, ~~formerly a maintenance man, now a college student (3.7 GPA)
funny thing happened yesterday in my small town.. a deputy sheriff is now going to be the guest in a federal pen for SEVERAL years.
seems he brought a very short gun barrel into a machine shop, and needed it threaded.. BATF was very happy to get him... --Shiva--
Barrel length laws are an unholy mess. It is hard to imagine someone going to jail over violating one. What seems more likely is that BATF 'got involved' and found out he had a whole bunch of violations including previous violations and convictions and stays. Or maybe a stash of prohibited weapons of various types and a previous record.
I'd like to see the article online. If any of the local papers published the story online.
Technically ironic; but so few Americans make the distinction anymore that I guess it doesn't matter.
The intent still applies. If there is a known flaw in a set of tires, I want to know about it before I put them on my loved ones' car. Why are locks different ? All tires have their limits, I think I should about those too. Why are locks different ?
How about someone who is curious ? I would not trust my livelihood to Usenet News. Do you really think a thief would ?
The reasons are in indeed obvious. The correctness of the reasons is dubious (their many years of tradition not withstanding.) I know that the locks protecting my house are easily picked. I've done it after only a month of self instruction. I have not replaced them. The sort of crime I want to prevent is unlikely to involve lock picking. If I'm about to pay
than my house. If there is a known flaw in the lock, I'd like to know about it. I would argue that every extra dollar spent on security should buy something real. A secret known to two people, is an oxymoron.
I just bought a Master padlock to try to pick. I notice that there is a small hole in the bottom of the lock. Is this a by-pass ? I don't know; but I'm suspicious. I would use this lock to protect my gym clothes. I would think twice before I used this lock to protect my wallet.
So I ask again, why should this information not be easily and widely available ? Since it is sure to circulate in the criminal underground, why not make it available to non-criminals as well ?
Every situation has its own needs. In some cases, such as mine, the primary requirement is to produce a system which is immune to undetected entry, and for which the facility manager can have reasonable assurance of key control.
No.
In this case, you're unreasonably paranoid.
(I would think twice before using most padlocks to protect my wallet in an unsupervised situation. Locker rooms, due to the amount of traffic through the room and the fact that there are so many other targets in that space, present a sightly different set of risk factors.)
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