Electronic Locks

The UK Daily Mail reports on an "electronic lockpick" that will easily bypass hotel cardkey-style locks. It is designed to look like nothing more conspicuous than a dry erase marker. Apparently, there are some 4 million locks out there, susceptible to this particular bypass technique.

Most electronic locks have a mechanical key override, so they share the very same vulnerabilities as the basic pin tumbler lock used on virtually all homes and businesses. When electronic systems are used in addition to the mechanical systems, they may be adding their own vulnerabilities. In this particular case, electronic locks are even more easily bypassed than the mechanical ones. This is not the only time a bypass technique has been discovered that will bypass an electronic lock.

Recently, electronic locks operable with remote controls or via smart phones have become available. Convenience is the greatest feature to these systems - not security. Keep this in mind when contemplating the purchase of an electronic locking system.