Show HN: Please Break In – Don't put your house keys online
pleasebreak.inIt's a cool project, but the threat model is almost completely irrelevant. Most mechanical locks are hopelessly easy to bypass and function only as a modest deterrent.
Standard pin-tumbler locks can be opened in a matter of seconds by bump-keying. A specially cut key is repeatedly tapped with a small hammer, causing the pins above the shear line to jump and allowing the lock to be opened. A bump-key can be made using any key or key blank and a hand file.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=131j0htYIoU
"High security" pin tumbler locks with sidebars and other extra features can be opened quickly and easily using modified versions of the bump-key technique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOIRZnafgQk
Euro-profile locks can be snapped in half with a pair of pliers or a crude lever, allowing the latch mechanism to be operated with a screwdriver or metal hook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqhhXyROxQM
Most lock barrels are made from soft metals that can be easily drilled out with an ordinary HSS or carbide bit. An inexpensive tool can cut through most barrels in seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEPe7aLfqrs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i32QexNZmb8
If you want any real degree of security from your door locks, you need to opt for a specialist and expensive cylinder - something with a hardened steel face and a disc detainer mechanism, like the Abloy Protec series. Good disc detainer mechanisms are practically unpickable, even for expert locksmiths. Although it is possible to drill a lock with a hardened steel face, a specialised cutting tool is required and the process is very slow on most cylinder types.
I made this as a quick and dirty weekend project after spotting a friend post a picture of their house keys online.
I thought I'd try and raise awareness of how easily keys can be copied from photos. That combined with geocoded tweets is just asking for trouble.
It's not mobile friendly unfortunately.
Have you considered @replying to those who have posted their house keys on Twitter?
Yeah I did start it but due to the twitter account being brand new it got suspended. Need to warm it up when I get it back.
Point taken, although picking a lock is not much harder than making your own keys.
Well, unless you make keys like this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Key-copy/
Which is easier than filing down regular keys I suppose.
But using a service that does it for you is much easier than either.
Thankfully, between keyme and Keys Duplicated, only the latter let's you copy keys from a photo taken in the wild. It's a dubious honor that requires pretty complicated 3d analysis.
I'd also like to see "Please Use My Concert Tickets!" because people love taking pictures of them and putting them online for everyone to see.
Door locks keep honest people honest. If someone really wants to get in your house they will find an easier way than to copy your key.
Do people realize that windows aren't made of adamantium?
If someone really wants to come in, they can easily do so.
Or you could just use a bump key and break into any house, picture or not. The whole key system we use is flawed.
Nice job at trying to scare people for a very unlikely break-in-scenario, as the other comments point out.