So as some of you may know, I have an interest in locks and security. Mostly because as I discovered most locks are just a deterrent and don't actually secure anything against anyone with basic security knowledge. And well, Knowledge is power...
Now many people think, oh lock picks can get you in anywhere. Well... you don't actually need to know how to pick locks... that's more of a last resort to avoid just smashing a door open.
Now a lot of people think, oh it has a lock I'm safe in my (apartment, office, warehouse, etc). Well no actually. There's this concept of keyed alike. a lot of locks use a limited number of combinations, sometimes only one for stuff like service keys, fleet keys, or the company just wants to save a few bucks. So rather than spending an extra couple dollars a lock company just sends out a bunch of locks using the same key because it's so common they have it on hand... yeah.
Note: I do not endorse using this knowledge for evil. But as an amature lock smith who often helps friends stuff like this comes in handy... or just as a neat party trick.
So here's a few big offenders but there's dozens if you know what to look for.
The Elevator key.
Works in almost any elevator, let's you take direct control and pilot it to any floor you want, or just stop it somewhere for a while.
Less than $10 on amazon.
The Ford fleet key.
Opens and starts taxi's, cop cars, and a handful of other variations on the crown victoria and ford escalade line... also known as the GTA key. May have been fixed recently but it's entirely possible that the lock company just never fixed it and lied to save a few bucks.
CH751
This key... my gods this key makes me want to face palm so hard. Was famous a few years ago as the key to voting booths here in the states, but this is so common, is only cut one way, and you probably have one in your bedroom desk drawer or end table drawer... if you don't have one it's less than $2 online.
Among the other things this opens includes... external RV compartments, Lock boxes, Sprinkler control boxes, storage cabinets, Tuck tool boxes, utility boxes, the list goes on but it's commonly used to secure cabinets, storage boxes, and apparently, voting booths.
The Linear and Door King Control box keys... so these are everywhere, you see them on apartment buildings and gated communities usually... but those ones where you dial an apartment and ask to be let in... yeah.
So you put in the key (door king or Linear are the two that seem to be everywhere). Then you open the panel and push the button to open the door. Normally used by postal delivery people and service tech's... but the keys are absurdly easy to get at roughly $13 for both. combine this with the elevator key and CH751 and you can imagine how easy it is to just walk into any apartment or office building with the same access as the building owner.
Got these with my pay phone. sure enough payphones are keyed alike too. Open the coin box on any pay phone... or just take the phone off the booth, you put in the regular key on the side, T key on the second lock (coin box front, pay phone lower part). turn, and it just opens... just like that.
keys are about $18 each for the regular keys and $10 for the T key. Not as useful these days with pay phones being so rare but still rather freaky.
In conclusion, for all the blue pills who continue to travel down the rabbit hole let me say this. Security is a joke. Anyone with basic knowledge and google can open any lock. Lock picking is absurdly simple to learn if you'd rather go that route, and there's tons of other ways to bypass stuff than just having the keys to the kingdom. But this is certainly the least conspicuous way to do it. And remember. This is for educational purposes only, even if it is a fun party trick, or great for helping friends who got locked out... or just not wanting to wait to be buzzed in.
Now many people think, oh lock picks can get you in anywhere. Well... you don't actually need to know how to pick locks... that's more of a last resort to avoid just smashing a door open.
Now a lot of people think, oh it has a lock I'm safe in my (apartment, office, warehouse, etc). Well no actually. There's this concept of keyed alike. a lot of locks use a limited number of combinations, sometimes only one for stuff like service keys, fleet keys, or the company just wants to save a few bucks. So rather than spending an extra couple dollars a lock company just sends out a bunch of locks using the same key because it's so common they have it on hand... yeah.
Note: I do not endorse using this knowledge for evil. But as an amature lock smith who often helps friends stuff like this comes in handy... or just as a neat party trick.
So here's a few big offenders but there's dozens if you know what to look for.
The Elevator key.
Works in almost any elevator, let's you take direct control and pilot it to any floor you want, or just stop it somewhere for a while.
Less than $10 on amazon.
The Ford fleet key.
Opens and starts taxi's, cop cars, and a handful of other variations on the crown victoria and ford escalade line... also known as the GTA key. May have been fixed recently but it's entirely possible that the lock company just never fixed it and lied to save a few bucks.
CH751
This key... my gods this key makes me want to face palm so hard. Was famous a few years ago as the key to voting booths here in the states, but this is so common, is only cut one way, and you probably have one in your bedroom desk drawer or end table drawer... if you don't have one it's less than $2 online.
Among the other things this opens includes... external RV compartments, Lock boxes, Sprinkler control boxes, storage cabinets, Tuck tool boxes, utility boxes, the list goes on but it's commonly used to secure cabinets, storage boxes, and apparently, voting booths.
The Linear and Door King Control box keys... so these are everywhere, you see them on apartment buildings and gated communities usually... but those ones where you dial an apartment and ask to be let in... yeah.
So you put in the key (door king or Linear are the two that seem to be everywhere). Then you open the panel and push the button to open the door. Normally used by postal delivery people and service tech's... but the keys are absurdly easy to get at roughly $13 for both. combine this with the elevator key and CH751 and you can imagine how easy it is to just walk into any apartment or office building with the same access as the building owner.
Got these with my pay phone. sure enough payphones are keyed alike too. Open the coin box on any pay phone... or just take the phone off the booth, you put in the regular key on the side, T key on the second lock (coin box front, pay phone lower part). turn, and it just opens... just like that.
keys are about $18 each for the regular keys and $10 for the T key. Not as useful these days with pay phones being so rare but still rather freaky.
In conclusion, for all the blue pills who continue to travel down the rabbit hole let me say this. Security is a joke. Anyone with basic knowledge and google can open any lock. Lock picking is absurdly simple to learn if you'd rather go that route, and there's tons of other ways to bypass stuff than just having the keys to the kingdom. But this is certainly the least conspicuous way to do it. And remember. This is for educational purposes only, even if it is a fun party trick, or great for helping friends who got locked out... or just not wanting to wait to be buzzed in.
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