Lock Analysis

[JK_the_CJer]

I've been working on this page for my site lately and figured some folks here would like what I have so far. It's called "Lock Analysis", but has sort of turned into a description (with pretty pictures) of the various parts that make up interesting locks. The aim of the page is to get folks thinking about how to defeat unusual/intimidating locks. There really isn't anything presented in regard to specific high-sec defeats so I believe it is public material so far. If the mods disagree, I wouldn't mind altering the page to make it fit. Anywho, let me know what you guys think and maybe throw some ideas out there for adding to it:

http://theamazingking.com/lock-ana.html

[Major Boothroyd]

The Amazing King

It was an interesting read, simple and informative.

[MacGnG1]

this was pretty helpful

[JK_the_CJer]

Thanks for the feedback so far, guys

I've been looking over the current state of the page and where I plan on taking it. Right now, it seems like two different (though very related) topics are being presented. I think the best thing to do is split the page into two: "Lock Mechanisms" and "Lock Analysis". Right now, most of the good stuff would fall into the mechanisms page, but I have plenty more to do to improve both. I figure the analysis page will become a complete article at some point, but the mechanisms page would become sort of a blog-like affair (updated semi-regularly) to show and explain interesting locking elements. I think splitting them would allow for more detail (especially if lots of crosslinking were used).

[JK_the_CJer]

Alrighty, I have now split the page:

Lock Analysis: http://theamazingking.com/lock-ana.html
Lock Mechanisms: http://theamazingking.com/lock-mech.html

[mh]

very nice!

I belive the DOM dimple lock you have is one of the first versions of the DOM "ix 10"

As shown here,
http://www.toool.nl/images/c/c0/Dom-ix.pdf
but if you want to be very precise, note that DOM does not use dashes in the product name.

Cheers,
mh

[TOWCH]

My process of lock analysis from a mechanical weakness standpoint is to start with "why can't the lock be picked?" and work backwards from there.

A:"The lock can't be picked because tensioning the plug does not engage the tumblers"

Q: "Then what does cause the tumblers to be engaged?"

A: "The sidebar is pulled in to the tumblers by springs."

Q: "Can the lock be decoded while untensioned via pin and cam?"

Obstacle 1: No, the sidebar does not engage the tumblers unless the key passes a RFID check.

Q: Can the RFID be spoofed?

Obstacle 2: No, the tag is encrypted.

ect....


So the obstacle's are identified and attacked individually until there are no more obstacles in the way of opening the lock.

Sometimes there are multiple ways to solve one of the obstacles, so that forms a logic tree and you then attack the path of least resistence.


All components of locking mechanisms have a list of known attack vectors so it should be possible to describe and organize the entire process of identifying the weaknesses in locks.

The goal of decoding is to determine the secret bitting or combination to a lock. This is usually accomplished by some mechanical means of interogating the lock in to giving up it's bitting one number at a time. Each number determined represents an exponential reduction in possible keyspace. Once keyspace has been reduced sufficiently, trial and error becomes an increasingly attractive option. Then depending on considerations such as speed, and the cost of consumables,(Keyblanks) it is decided whether to continue decoding the remaining bitting, or to simply attempt trial and error from there. On combination locks, it is normally ideal to just trial and error the last number, and sometimes the last two numbers.

The some common techniques for interrogating a lock include: pin and cam attacks, impressioning, lock picking, manipulation, seasame decoding, wire probing, and visual decoding. (abus plus, wafer locks, and color coded pins)

Interrogating a lock is not the only way to reduce keyspace however. Some locks such as lever locks, (possibly pin tumbler locks,) Abloy Protec, and the (fill in the name of the high security european safe lock the abloy protec's two dimensional key's are based on) to name a few: the key contacts the tumblers or plug in different places based on the bitting. These segregated points of contact can leave forensic evidence on the tumblers that can sometimes be read and used to derrive a reduction of keyspace.


Blah blah blah.

There's a lot to be said but I've got to go. Will try to add more later. Descriptions of types of attacks, vulnerable lock classes to that attack, and defenses against that attack would be a good way of organizing the information. It would be simple to convert that to a grid reference chart with locks on one axis and attacks on the other.

[mongo]

I've been working on this page for my site lately and figured some folks here would like what I have so far. It's called "Lock Analysis", but has sort of turned into a description (with pretty pictures) of the various parts that make up interesting locks. The aim of the page is to get folks thinking about how to defeat unusual/intimidating locks. There really isn't anything presented in regard to specific high-sec defeats so I believe it is public material so far. If the mods disagree, I wouldn't mind altering the page to make it fit. Anywho, let me know what you guys think and maybe throw some ideas out there for adding to it:

http://theamazingking.com/lock-ana.html

well layed out. I solved several questions (sidebars) during my first read. It will have a second, well done.

[raimundo]

I looked it over, read the lock anaylis part, the bitting. and it occured to me that there are a lot of threads about whether the hook is better than the half diamond, and many people believe that the half diamond is second. I hold the other view, that the hook is a special pick that may be the only one for some particular instance, but the half diamond is the more universally useful, I believe that a lot of peoples ideas are based on how well they can visualize how things interact in the keyway where no one is watching, and the objections to the half diamond is that people believe that it violates the MACS principle of the lock, in fact, it dosent, look a a key, some of the cam slopes are very deep, especially on the medeco. there is more room in the keyway than you imagine, and the variances in pick size are small but significant. This is exactly why the people who use hooks will start with a medium, rather than the small or large hook, as it is the more universal and the others are for particular bittings.