All Lock and No Key - Illumin Magazine



University of Southern CaliforniaAll Lock and No KeyHow Lock Picking WorksLiza Valenti11/30/2011Keywords: pin tumbler lock, lock picking, cylinder lock, mechanical keyed lock, pin stacksLock picking has multiple purposes. While theft is the main goal of malicious lock pickers, safety consultants and licensed locksmiths are also trained to defeat locks. However, anyone with an internet connection, the proper tools, and a desire to learn can pick a lock. With an understanding of how the lock works and which picking process to use, a pin tumbler lock can be defeated in a few minutes or less by utilizing a torsion tool and a simple pick. Basic methods, such as single pin picking, raking, and jiggling are most commonly used when picking locks, but they can also be overpowered and defeated by brute force. There are no unbeatable locks, but with knowledge of the vulnerabilities of different types of locks and knowing how to bypass them, one can build a stronger defense for their home or business. Although a thief may be a master of picking locks, the stronger and more complicated the lock is, the more difficult it is for a thief to gain access to that building.Liza Valenti is a senior Electrical Engineering student at the University of Southern California. Upon graduating, she hopes to combine her engineering background with her passion for music.Liza ValentiDoctor RamseyWRIT34030 November, 2011All Lock and No Key: How Lock Picking WorksLock Picking. Those two words conjure up an image of a figure dressed in all black, hiding their face with a ski mask, and lurking in the shadows with nothing but malicious intent. While it is true, most individuals who are picking a lock are planning on breaking into another’s home or business, it is not always the case. Every day, people hire professionals to pick locks, because who knows how to pick a lock better than a Locksmith? Additionally, there are individuals who pick locks, as security consultants, in order to alert companies to their vulnerabilities to attacks and how to improve the situation. Then, there are the enthusiasts who buy different locks and use them as a puzzle, challenging themselves. However, ?whether professional licensed locksmith, amateur enthusiast or a thief, no matter which category they belongs to, a person who is picking locks must have the right tools for the job. Additionally, anyone who wants to pick a lock must understand exactly how the specific type of lock they are trying to pick works, which picking process to use, and what protection devices they may be up against. The most common type of lock used in for residential properties is a mechanical keyed lock [1]. More specifically, pin tumbler locks are the typically the mechanical keyed locks found in homes. The pin tumbler lock consists of a cylinder, commonly referred to as a plug. The plug rotates to operate the locking mechanism, which typically contains a spring. The plug is contained within a shell, which is connected to the door. Inside the plug, a series of pins can be found. This series is known as the pin stack. Each pin stack is cut perpendicular to the way that the key enters the plug. In a pin tumbler lock there are multiple pin stacks, usually six, each cut at varying levels. These levels correspond to the grooves in the master key for that lock. When the master key is inserted into the plug and rotated, the lock will open. While this can seem mystical to some, the inner workings of a lock are actually quite simple.With knowledge of the parts of the plug, one can quickly understand how a pin tumbler lock actually works. Each pin stack consists of a top and bottom pin. Above every pin stack is a spring holding them down. In each pin tumbler lock, there is what is known as the shear line. A shear line refers to the area where the plug and shell meet [1]. Mechanical pin tumbler locks have two states, locked and unlocked. When locked, the pin stacks are in their normal position, pressed down by the spring. In order to be unlocked, each pin stack must be raised to the shear line. This is done by inserting the master key, or by carefully picking the lock, which will be discussed later. Fig.1, found below, depicts what the pin stacks look like in the locked and unlocked states, respectively.Fig. SEQ Fig. \* ARABIC 1 : Pin Tumbler Lock Plug in Locked and Unlocked State [Valenti]The variations in the key are known as the bitting of the key, and the master key is cut so that each peak in the grooved surface raises the corresponding pin stack to the appropriate level [1]. The height of each peak is known as the bit depth. If the incorrect key is inserted into the lock it will not have the proper bitting for that lock, so not all of the pin stacks will be raised to the shear line. This means that the plug cannot be rotated and the lock will not open. While all pin stacks must be raised to the shear line, one stack prevents the plug from rotating. This stack is known as the “binding pin” [2]. The binding pin is typically the first or last stack in the plug. It remains in place, preventing turning of the plug, until all pin stacks are at the shear line. It is only then that the plug can be rotated and the lock opened.As previously stated, a pin tumbler lock will not open unless the corresponding master key is inserted, or the lock is picked. With a basic understanding of the inner workings of the lock, one can begin to understand how lock picking works. The plug cannot turn unless the pin stacks are at the shear line, and without a key they must be raised manually. In order to pick this lock, two tools are required – the tension wrench and a hook pick. A tension wrench is commonly a piece of flat, bent steel, and is composed of a handle and a head. “The head is usually ? to ? of an inch long and the handle varies from 2 to 4 inches long. The head and the handle are separated by a bend that is about 80 degrees” [3]. The hook pick consists of metal handle with a hook shaped tip. Fig.2, below, shows the design of a basic hook pick and tension wrench.Fig. SEQ Fig. \* ARABIC 2: Basic Lock Picking Tools: Hook Pick (Top) and Tension Wrench (Bottom)There are many varieties on the shape of picks and tension wrenches, but these two are the most basic. The tension wrench is used to apply turning force, or torque, on the plug. This is the first step in picking the pin tumbler lock. [4] When torque is applied to the plug, the binding pin keeps it from rotating. “A firm yet gentle touch on the tension wrench is needed along with a sense of heightened sensitivity, which is basically developed through practice and mindfullness—being fully aware of what one is experiencing while picking a lock” [2]. Next, the hook pick is used to manipulate the pin stacks until they are all at the shear line. The first pin stack to be manipulated should be the binding pin. [3] Once the binding pin is at the shear line, the plug will rotate slightly, and the first pin has been picked! Using the pick to manipulate the pin stacks one by one, the plug will rotate freely when the last stack is at the shear line. When the lock opens, the picking has been done successfully.Manipulating pin stacks one at a time is known as “Single Pin Picking” [3]. However, there are numerous ways to pick a lock. Another popular technique for picking pin tumbler locks is called “raking”. Raking is performed in a similar manner to single pin picking. Again, torque is applied by the tension wrench. However, instead of manipulating the pin stacks, the pick is quickly pulled in and out of the plug, raking across the pins. A hook pick can be used in this instance, but a rake pick, with a curved end, is typically used. “Raking causes all the pins in a lock to bounce up and down and in many cases the pins will all end up at the shear line after a few seconds of raking” [3]. It is evident that this method will typically pick a lock faster than single pin picking, which requires more meticulous manipulation. Many people have employed the basic concept of the third basic type of lock picking. When inserting a key into a lock, sometimes the user must jiggle the handle to unlock the door with greater ease. It is no surprise, then, that the last basic lock picking method is called “jiggling”. A rake hook can be used for jiggling, but a profile pick, shaped to mimic common key shapes, is typically used [3]. Again, torque is applied by the tension wrench. This time, the profile pick is jiggled up and down while it is raked in and out. As before, when all of the pin stacks are raised to the shear line, the lock can be opened. These three types of picks and the proper motions to use with each can be found in Fig.3 below.Fig. SEQ Fig. \* ARABIC 3: Single Pin Picking, Raking, and Jiggling methods of Picking Locks, respectively. [Valenti]Single pin picking, raking, and jiggling are not the only ways to manipulate a lock. Lock bumping is another common way to open a pin tumbler lock without a key. Bumping can be performed with a pick gun or a bump key. A pick gun causes “a sharp impact when the trigger is pulled, briefly knocking all the pins out of the cylinder” [6]. When the pins are displaced in the plug, it can be rotated with a tension wrench. This needs to be done quickly, however, because the pins will soon fall back into their normal resting place and the binding pin will once again keep the plug from rotating. This method uses kinetic energy to transfer energy when the bottom pin is struck to bounce the top pin out of place. In this brief moment, the plug can be turned. [6] Using a bump key employs the same physics principles while using a hammer and a key. The bump key is a key that will fit the particular lock one is trying to pick. However, instead of having a normal bitting, each tooth is down to the lowest level. When the key is inserted into the plug and struck by the hammer, is causes the pins to bounce and plug to be rotated, as described before. “It should be noted that many mechanisms designed to make locks more secure have little to no effect against bump attack” [7]. Impressioning, decoding, and bypass methods all can be used. These are far more complex methods of lock picking, and generally are used for more sinister reasons, so they will not be discussed in detail.While lock picking is a genuine threat, all pin tumbler locks are also susceptible to brute force attacks. As locks are generally connected through the door to the frame, they can only withstand a certain amount of force applied to them. It is for this reason that television and movies often depict police officers kicking in doors or using battering rams to knock them down. Additionally, doors can be pried open and frames can be spread apart with a crow bar. Locks can also be hammered out or even drilled out of a door! Additionally, locks that are placed on doors paned with glass are at great risk as criminals will often break the glass and reach inside and simply unlock the door. A thief will enter the home when someone has simply left a door unlocked, and often times they will find the spare key someone leaves under a mat or in a “hide-a-key”.While there is no way to prevent a break-in entirely, there are ways to help protect against both picking and brute force attacks. In his article, Under Lock and Key, Steven Ashley states:In key-operated door locks, protection against unauthorized operation is provided in two basic forms... The first, seen in the Egyptian pin lock, uses mechanical obstructions (now called tumblers) that must be positioned by the key before the bolt can be moved. The second, attributed to the Romans, places fixed obstructions called wards in the keyhole or lock case to prevent false keys from entering or turning the mechanism [8]. Some locks use anti-pick elements in their design [9]. Additionally, using a deadbolt in conjunction with a pin tumbler lock will make it harder, though not impossible, for a thief to break in. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has developed standards to measure security and durability of locks [10]. By choosing a lock with the highest grade of 1, will help when it comes to keeping burglars out. Changing the strike plate on the door to a security strike plate will help a lock resist a brute force attack. In the case of a windowed door, a double cylinder deadbolt can be used. This type of lock requires a key to open the door from the interior as well as the exterior. In this way, if a window is broken, a thief cannot simply turn the door handle to gain entry, but still must have a key. However, double cylinder deadbolts can go against some building codes, so it is wise to check with the proper authorities before installing this type of lock. It is also wise to check garage entries as well as all windows. The simplest ways to help deter a thief from entering your home is to remove any hidden keys that could easily be discovered and to make sure doors are locked at all times! Table 1 shows statistics of which techniques are used most often by criminals in order to enter a residence.Table 1: Most Common Techniques Used by Burglars to enter single-family homes [10]With the right tools and know-how, even your average everyday person can pick a simple lock just due to the information and guides available on the web. Either by using the precise methods using specific tools as mentioned earlier or using a simple brute force technique to simply overpower the lock, there is no such thing as an unbeatable lock, but with knowledge and foresight of the vulnerabilities of different types of locks and knowing how to bypass them, one can build a stronger defense for their home or business. ?The most important thing to remember is that although a thief might be a master in the art of picking locks, the stronger and more complicated the lock, such as a lock with a grade of 1 as certified by the ANSI and not leaving spare keys and other points of access unprotected, the threat of a thief gaining access is severely restricted.[1] Blaze, Matt. "Rights Amplification in Master-Keyed Mechanical Locks." Security & Privacy 1.2 (2003): 24-32. IEEE. Web. 1 Nov 2011. ?<;.[2] Hampton, Steven. "Advanced Lock Picking Secrets." hack.dk. hack.dk, 20 Apr 2002. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <(ebook)Hampton, Steven- AdvancedLockPickingSecrets.pdf>.[3] "The Illustrated Guide to Picking Locks." The Ultimate Lock Pick Practice Cylinder. Upfront, 28 Nov 2010. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <;.[4] Tool, Theodore. "MIT Guide to Lock Picking." Lysator. MIT, 01 Sep 1991. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <;[5] Blaze, Matt. "Notes on Picking Pin Tumbler Locks." Crypto. University of Pennsylvania,06 Dec 2003. Web. 1 Nov 2011.<;.[6] "How ?to Open Locks without a key." Lockpicking and Lock Bumping. Secret Agent Magazine, n.d. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <;.[7] Ollam, Deviant. "Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Lockpicking & Physical Security." BlackHat. BlackHat, 25 Feb 2008. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <;.[8] Ashley, Steven. "Under Lock and Key." Mechanical Engineering 115.8 (1993): 62-67. ProQuest. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <; clientId=5239&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.[9] pixiejen. "What's to Stop a Lock-Picker?." Schlage Locks: Setting the Industry Standard. WordPress, 14 Jan 2009. Web. 1 Nov. 2011. <;.[10] "How to Pick the Right Door Lock for Your Home." DoorHardwareOneStop. State Farm, 05 Mar 2001. Web. 1 Nov 2011. <;. ................
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