Duplicating Your Housekeys, From a Distance

Roland Piquepaille writes "Some clever computer scientists at UC San Diego (UCSD) have developed a software that can perform key duplication with just a picture of the key — taken from up to 200 feet. One of the researchers said 'we built our key duplication software system to show people that their keys are not inherently secret.' He added that on sites like Flickr, you can find many photos of people's keys that can be used to easily make duplicates. Apparently, some people are blurring 'numbers on their credit cards and driver's licenses before putting those photos on-line,' but not their keys. This software project is quite interesting, but don't be too afraid. I don't think that many of you put a photo of their keys online — with their addresses." I wonder when I'll be able to order more ordinary duplicate keys by emailing in a couple of photos.

wow

looks like hiding your key in that rock was a good idea after all :)

Interesting but pointless

It seems to me that the number of incidences where this could possibly be an issue is astronomically slim. Need picture of key, need to know where the key goes, and need the method of duplicating key with picture accurately enough to be of use. Then there has to be a pretty impresive reason why any of the other less complicated and faster ways of breaking in wouldn't be useful.

Re:Interesting but pointless

There's a story from 2005 about a locksmith who made a copy of a key from an x-ray of some poor guy who somehow swallowed his key:

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/06/25/locksmith-makes-key-.html

Re:Interesting but pointless

Not quite. Depending on the key, of course, all you need to do is get the code and figure out the style. Then you could get replacements sent to you from the manufacturer.

In fact, some keys (I'm talking to you, cheap schlage locks) print the key code ON THE KEY, so you wouldn't even need to do any kind of fitting if the photo happened to be of the right side.

But, of course, why bother having a particularly secure lock, when your all-metal steel-bolted door is right next to a 6 foot plate-glass bay window?

Re:Interesting but pointless

But, of course, why bother having a particularly secure lock, when your all-metal steel-bolted door is right next to a 6 foot plate-glass bay window?

For some new houses use a utility knife cut thru the vinyl siding, foam sheeting, and kick thru the drywall for easy access.

Re:Interesting but pointless

Variations on that method would work on most frame houses built during the last fifty years but burglars still attack doors and windows. This, of course, is because most are remarkably stupid (intelligent criminals go into politics).

Re:Interesting but pointless

How much more wrong could you be? Got an enemy? Drink in the same bars? Got a camera phone? ... is the idea sinking in?

Bump keys more practical

The keys in the pic seem to be the crappy "2-D" sort that are vulnerable to "bump keys".

It'll be much easier to just make a bump key and use it to break in covertly, than to bother making the "same key". Google for bump key videos.

You'd probably need better pics to make duplicates of those "3-D" keys - those with wedges and so on.

Re:Bump keys more practical

Chubb (the venerable English lock maker) actually has a prison lock where part of its construction is to make it resistant to eyeballing by inmates, so they can't memorize the cuts on it and create a copy with sheet metal or another source.

Other than that, a few keys that are eyeball resistant that come to mind are the Shlage Primus, and the Medeco3 key, because someone would have to eyeball the slider, the pin depth cuts, and the angles of the cuts for the pins to rotate.

Bump keys

Well the word is out on bump keys, which are an easier method of entry in most cases, yet burglaries are down [npr.org]. I don't see key photos as a particularly meaningful threat to most of us.

People put photos of their keys online?

The mind boggles.

Re:People put photos of their keys online?

There was a meme a while back, where people would post a photo of everything [flickr.com] in their pockets (or handbag).

As the saying goes...

Locks are to keep honest people out.

Who?

Who uploads photos of themselves (or others) holding credit cards or keys? In my entire life, I don't think I've EVER even TAKEN a photo like that, let alone thought about sharing it. Am I just bizarre or is it the people on Flickr? Ok, admittedly it could be both, but still....

Eyeballing my Cadillac

I locked my Cadillac once and left my keys lying on the drivers seat. The locksmith successfully cut a new door key by hand just by looking at the key through the window.

Duplicating keys from an X-Ray

That's nothing! On the Discovery Health channel there was a story about a man that swallowed his friend's car key. They were too drunk to drive home and he wanted to prevent his friend from driving while drunk. To make a long story short, the spare key was lost and they they were able to make duplicate keys from an X-Ray that clearly showed the key.

Re:Eyeballing my Cadillac

Try that on any '90s/early 2000s Cadillac. You can probably successfully break the window motor or wires, but you won't be getting the door open. The lock mechanism is low, and forward in the doors, slides horizontally, and is behind a metal bar. It's not like the typical car lock which is an actuated metal rod near the top back corner of the door. You would have to know exactly what the inside of the door looked like, and have bends in exactly the right spots on the tool to get the door open, and you'd have to get lucky that you don't short something.

It only takes a couple minutes to file some notches in brass. Probably less time than it takes to slim jim a Cadillac. And I know if I had the skills to eyeball something like that I'd show it off every chance I got.

Re:Eyeballing my Cadillac

I call bullshit.

I've had locksmiths get my key out, and they have a flat piece of metal (cops carry them too) that they can slide down where the window goes and have the door open in five seconds. No need whatever to make a key to open it.

Twenty bucks to come out to the car, a buck fifty for a new key. Yet he's going to go to that trouble to make a key?

How fucking stupid do you think we are?

Hello, and welcome to the Post-80s world! This is a brave new place where car doors are designed for this absolutely not to work any longer, even if you could get past all the crap and to the mechanisms. Also, we have this thing called the "internet" where you can see naked pictures. Oh, and Molly Ringwald is no longer hot.

No. We still don't have flying cars.

Fine, go ahead...

make copies of my keys. Have fun "playing" with my pitbull waiting for you on the other side of the door.

Re:Fine, go ahead...

Clearly you are unaware that u38cg has taken the Improved Initiative feat.

Not really useful or scary, but interesting

Keys only serve to keep honest people honest. A lock pick and torsion bar can mimic any (average) key anyways.

The story is interesting (on the subject of computer vision) but shouldn't scare anyone.

A boon for swingers!

Remember the old days when swingers used to have "key parties?"

For the young and innocent who have never been exposed to such debauchery -- they would get together and throw all the mens' motel room keys in a hat. Then the ladies would pick them out of the hat and go to that key's room....

Well, now the possibilities for adultfriendfinder dot com have just been expanded... Just post a picture of your key and wait for your new friends to show up!

I'll believe it when I see it.

I can't even get those chumps at home depot to give me a copy that works when they're using the original, much less a photograph.

Who needs keys

The best antitheft device on my car is the manual transmission. ;)

Re:interesting....

I think your efforts are in vain. You are way more likely to have some thug just break the door down or smash a window. Usually the people that break into your house do not have the foresight to plan to this degree.

I think that a more valuable use of resources would be to recyle the tinfoil sitting on your head.