Tech | September 23, 2009 | 5 comments

Keys can be duplicated by just a photo!

source: http://hackaday.com/2009/09/22/photographic-key-duplication/

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Some guy named Ben and his associates at the University of California at San Diego have come up with a way to duplicate keys by using a just a picture of them! They do this with something called an algorithm that uses measurements from known key blanks to extrapolate the bitting code. The software can correct the perspective of the photo when the key in not photographed on a flat surface, but from an angle. This is because it is measuring multiple points.

They tested this lots and in most cases correct keys were produced within FOUR guesses.

Keep your Keys AWAY from the camera people...
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5 comments // Keys can be duplicated by just a photo!

  • Jjjjason7
    • 0
      Jjjjason7  

    • They really took the long way around to get to the same place. I loose respect for college everyday. The only people who would use such complicated and expensive techniques would be the government. If someone wants in your lock will not stop them. Making a key to someones house means you require frequent access. Surveillance?

    • 2 years ago
  • NeutronActivation
    • 0
      NeutronActivation  

    • I bet a snap/pick gun is still a hell of a lot quicker than this method and they've been around for decades.
      I've got news for you most locks are only designed to keep honest people honest. If someone with a little better than average intelligence and an internet connection wants to defeat your locks they will. A $50 pick gun can defeat most pin tumbler locks without much training necessary and you don't need a camera, computer, special program or a key cutting machine to do it either.

      This is a cool novelty but in practical terms it is kind of a cumbersome method to dupe a key or defeat a lock.

    • 2 years ago
  • JClem
    • 0
      JClem  

    • It is kind of worrying, especially the alithogram for making keys from photo's. Makes you wonder just how secure your property and possesions are.

      I wonder if they are going to release the software then?

    • 2 years ago
  • blood77
  • richjm
    • 0
      richjm  

    • It's been possible to do this for a while without having to use a complicated algorithm. In July, bigredkev added a story about a truck driver who accidently swallowed his ignition key and managed to find a locksmith who could make a new one based on an x-ray of the thing while it was in his stomach.

      The average household door lock is worryingly easy for criminals in the know to pick. There's no lock in the world that can't be picked, it's just how long it takes that determines how much they cost. In this video, controversial "bump keys" show just how easy it if for a determined and well-equiped burglar to gain entry into your home.

      http://current.com/items/90410289_swallowed-truck-key-duplicated-from-a-mans-sto...

    • 2 years ago
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