Have you seen this lock used?

[GWiens2001]

Saw this in a parking lot a couple of days ago. Can not vouch for how secure it is, but it used on a car.





Gordon

[zeepia]

That car must belong to a geek!

[MrAnybody]

Looks like a driving App to me

[catsoup]

I hope its not also running iOS 6, with apple maps...

[Josh66]

I wonder if they have the one with 9 dots where you draw a pattern...? You know, for the security conscious people.

(That pattern lock screen actually is pretty secure, apparently.)

[In.Xanadu]

I'm not sure how much more secure the dots are; for a grid of 9 dots, a line of x units should actually be less secure than a passcode of x digits.

Of course a 7 dot long line might be easier to remember and quicker to enter (The main concern) than a 7 digit passcode.

[Teddy Picker]

I'm not sure how much more secure the dots are; for a grid of 9 dots, a line of x units should actually be less secure than a passcode of x digits.

Of course a 7 dot long line might be easier to remember and quicker to enter (The main concern) than a 7 digit passcode.

A 7-dot-long line is less prone to being written down, not just because it's easier to remember, but because it's also harder to write down. The biggest problem with passwords is that people store them somewhere insecure, and as you probably know, a security system is only as strong as its weakest link.

[zeke79]

That's why I use a biometric lock box I picked up at Sams Club to store my passwords and large sums of cash. ONLY my thumbprint can open it up. I don't know why these aren't used more as it was only $30.......

[Wizer]

That's why I use a biometric lock box I picked up at Sams Club to store my passwords and large sums of cash. ONLY my thumbprint can open it up. I don't know why these aren't used more as it was only $30.......

Maybe because Mythbusters showd how to defeat them?

[zeke79]

That's why I use a biometric lock box I picked up at Sams Club to store my passwords and large sums of cash. ONLY my thumbprint can open it up. I don't know why these aren't used more as it was only $30.......

Maybe because Mythbusters showd how to defeat them?

I was joking .

[MacGyver101]

Maybe because Mythbusters showd how to defeat them?

On a related note, I tried putting a half a tennis ball up against my iPhone and pressing really hard... it didn't unlock it, either.

[Teddy Picker]

That's why I use a biometric lock box I picked up at Sams Club to store my passwords and large sums of cash. ONLY my thumbprint can open it up. I don't know why these aren't used more as it was only $30.......

I know this is a joke, but it's a serious security issue. There's a difference between authentication and identification, and this is inappropriately using identification when authentication is appropriate. Unfortunately, some people get their thumbs cut off before they see why this is a bad idea.

[MacGyver101]

Unfortunately, some people get their thumbs cut off before they see why this is a bad idea.

Fortunately, whatever you'd use for cutting off someone's thumb could also be used to cut open most of those biometric "safes"... so zeke can keep his fingers for now.

[Teddy Picker]

Unfortunately, some people get their thumbs cut off before they see why this is a bad idea.

Fortunately, whatever you'd use for cutting off someone's thumb could also be used to cut open most of those biometric "safes"... so zeke can keep his fingers for now.

That's assuming a logical thief. Case in point (though from my memory, so take it with a grain of salt) a car manufacturer in Southeast Asia had problems with their cars being stolen, so they introduced a design which opened the car via the owner's handprint. This only slightly decreased the numbers of thefts, as thieves would simply remove the owner's hand, hastily cauterize the wrist, and "re-key" the car. Needless to say, the car design was changed.

[Josh66]

I'm not sure how much more secure the dots are; for a grid of 9 dots, a line of x units should actually be less secure than a passcode of x digits.

Of course a 7 dot long line might be easier to remember and quicker to enter (The main concern) than a 7 digit passcode.

You don't see how a pattern made up of an unknown number of dots (you can go 'between' dots too - you don't have to connect one dot to the one right next to it) is more secure than just swiping your thumb across the screen?

I remember reading an article a while ago talking about how the FBI couldn't crack that lock screen. They had some suspect's phone, and wanted to see what was on it... They couldn't crack it, and were seeking a warrant to get the suspect's account information from Google (the article didn't say if that happened or not). After so many wrong guesses, it locks you out temporarily (you then have to wait a few minutes or log in using your Google account).

Most people just pick easy to guess patterns, like a spiral. Either that or they always use every dot. And they almost never go between the dots...