| |
|
But what is lock bumping? And will the possible proliferation of lock bumping
really affect the average American, or is it merely another bogus, media-fueled
boogeyman a la killer bees and Y2K?
What is lock bumping?
Lock bumping is a way of opening a lock using a specially filed key that is the
same size and shape as the key normally used in the target lock. This special
"bump" key is inserted into the target lock and then struck with a
tool made of rubber or plastic. The impact of the bump key on the tumblers
inside the lock temporarily pushes them up, allowing the lock's cylinder to
turn. This method, if done correctly, can open a lock quickly and with
relatively little noise.
"The main concern is that it is so darn easy and that you
don't need any special tools or training. You only need a key, which in most
cases is an easy thing to get," says Barry Wels, founding member of The
Open Organization of Lockpickers (TOOOL), a Dutch locksmithing club that has
helped promote awareness of the technique among government officials and
consumers alike. "If you take a motivated 15- or 16-year-old and give him
an hour or two and $100 to invest in tools, he can open most locks."
To know if your lock is vulnerable, just look at the key to
your front door. Some of the most popular locks by manufacturers such as
Schlage, Master, Yale and Kwikset may be susceptible to lock bumping. Other
potential targets include recently built condos, apartments and subdivisions
or gated communities, where one lock manufacturer often supplies similar locks
for every house in the community. A thief would have to gain access to only
one key to be able to make a bump key that would
open all the locks in the neighborhood.
Fact or fiction?
How common is this technique? It's hard to say how many of the over 2 million
burglaries that occurred in 2006 involved lock bumping. But there's no denying
that with millions of American homes relying on the pin-tumbler locks that are
so vulnerable -- and with how-to information and tool kits readily available
on the Internet -- the potential for exploitation of this weakness is huge.
"It's been spreading in Europe ever since it came out on German
television in 2004,"
says Wels. "It became popular for burglars in Germany."
Still, says Yaron Erez, a security expert with Manhattan-based Vertex
Security, the danger presented by key bumping may be overblown. The unpleasant
truth, he says, is that almost all locks can be picked. Security personnel
think in terms of the time and noise it takes to compromise a lock -- no
matter how good the lock, it's a matter of when, not if.
"If somebody knows how to bump a lock, most likely he knows how to pick a
lock as well," says Erez. "Bumping is a little faster and easier
than other forms of lock picking, but that's all."
Anti-pick locks
There are locks available that are resistant to all kinds of picking,
including bumping. High-end locks by manufacturers such as Medeco, Schlage
Primus, Assa and Mul-T-Lock are alternatives to the mass-produced, widely
available locks that can easily fall prey to bumping. These premium locks
incorporate more complex, multilayered locking mechanisms and patented designs
that allow manufacturers to control the number of blank keys that are
produced.
Electronic locks, combination locks, magnetic locks and
rotating-disk locks are other choices that are immune to lock bumping.
Cylinder protectors, devices that cover the front of the lock to prevent
tampering, are also an option.
Unfortunately, these premium locks also carry a premium price tag, especially
when the fees charged by the professional locksmiths that install them are
factored in. The hardware alone starts at around $100 per lock and goes up
from there.
Security systems
Erez recommends upgrading your locks to a bump-proof design, but cautions
against relying entirely on any type of lock.
"Locks are just one part of the total security picture," says Erez.
"There are so many ways to get into a free-standing, private home:
windows, garages, patio doors."
Instead, Erez recommends thinking of security in terms of providing a
deterrent to potential thieves. One such deterrent is a security system,
announced by a sign in the front yard. Or even the sign with no alarm at all.
Extra lighting in key spots around the home and a family dog can also help.
"It's a mental thing," he says. "If someone wants to break in,
put as many things in his way as you can. He'll most likely move on to another
house."
Also, it's important to remember that many thieves don't even
bother picking a lock when robbing a home. Lock bumping is irrelevant if a
potential thief would rather use a crowbar or a swift kick than a bump key and
a rubber mallet.
Home insurance
There is one surefire way to protect against big losses in a burglary that
doesn't involve any cutting-edge equipment or security know-how: a good
insurance policy. Most providers of homeowner and renter insurance will pay
for a loss even if, as is the case with locks that have been
"bumped," there are no signs of forced entry.
"A theft is a theft. A loss is a loss," says Mike Siemienas, a
spokesman for insurance giant Allstate, "as long as it's covered under
your policy. Our policy is that you as a customer don't have to prove that
someone broke into your house."
Kip Diggs, a State Farm representative, agreed. "It's very unlikely that
we would reject a claim based on that."
Check your policy to make sure yours will pay regardless of how the thieves
got in. For those that choose to upgrade to bump-resistant locks, it's worth a
call to your insurance company to see if they would offer you a discount for
installing higher-quality locks in your home. For the record, State Farm and
Allstate currently do not offer a discount beyond a generic one for deadbolt
locks. According to Mike Barry, media relations director at the Insurance
Information Institute, it's unlikely insurance companies would offer a premium
discount for a specific brand of lock.
With little evidence available that lock bumping is common practice among
thieves, the security threat to the average residence is, at this point,
largely theoretical. Still, the probable spread of the expertise and tools
required for lock bumping may make it a bigger concern in the future. Those
most in danger may be lock makers themselves, who may one day face
class-action lawsuits filed by customers angry about the possibility that some
companies have known about this flaw in their products for decades -- and done
nothing about it.
Top |
