This blog is about lock picking and its connection to cyber security. It will also include basic information about lock picking.
Quick Intro:
Alright, I’m pretty sure that you all heard of lock picking before, but I’m going to go more in depth about it for you. I’m also in a cyber security class, so I’m also going to explain to you why lock picking is actually related to cyber security. Hopefully, when you finish reading this, you will have a better understanding of lock picking and why it is actually related to cyber security.
How does Lock Picking Work?
First off, there are tons of different locks that require different ways to actually pick them, so I’m mostly going to talk about the most common one that you will encounter the most. The type of locks I’m talking about are locks that require a key and relies on pins. The image above shows what I’m talking about.
When lock picking that kind of lock, you are going to need some tools. Honestly, you will only need a torque wrench and a hook pick. Certain picks are better for certain jobs, but you should be able to get the job done with a hook pick. Every lock has a certain amount of pins in them, so your goal is to get all the pins lined up at the right position to let you turn the lock. Make sure you set your torque wrench in the lock and apply slight pressure in the right direction(the same way you would turn a key). Once all the pins are lined up correctly, the pressure on the torque will start turning the key lock, opening it.
In all honesty, this is not easy. It requires a lot of patience and you need some practice on see-through locks before you can do a real one. When doing a real one, it’s all based on feeling since you can’t see the pins, so you need to get used to how it's supposed to feel when pushing up a pin the right amount. This is only achievable through practice, so don’t just think that you can hop straight into locking picking real locks without practicing on see-through ones.
Cheatsy doodles way:
OK, from my experience with lock picking, there are picks called rake picks. I like to call them cheatsy doodle picks because you can unlock locks with them easily. All you have to do in insert it in and start going up and down, back and forth until the lock opens. This works because you are just hitting the pins up at random until they all align properly by themselves. This does count as lock picking, but it is best if you learn the regular way by practicing and getting the understand how it should feel when lock picking.
lock Picking History:
In the article “The Locksmith Who Picked Two ‘Unbeatable’ Locks and Ended the Era of ‘Perfect Security’” by 99% Invisible, it says that lock picking is as old as locks themselves. It also says that locks were used in the Middle Ages and possibly originated in ancient Mesopotamia. The 1770s is when the Joseph Bramah created his Bramah safety lock, which he claimed to be 100% lock proof. His claim was true for 70 years until people finally found a way to lock pick it. This led to more and more people continuing to create new and complex locks, but as more were invented, more and more methods to lock pick were invented as well. Still to this day, we never had a long period with 100% lock security like we did with the Bramah safety lock.
How does Lock Picking Relate to Cyber Security?
Imagine that you are a secret agent that needs to get information off of a computer or network, but their security is so tight, that it would take forever to hack into it. That’s when the physical aspect of cyber security begins to take effect. You may have seen it in a TV show or movie before where someone sneaks onto the enemy HQ/base and lock picks their way into rooms. They then find the network or computer and plug in a USB to either extract data or add in something harmful to their network.
Without lock picking skills, the character would not be able to get to the enemies networks or computers, so it plays a big role when it comes to that kind of situation. In all honesty, I’m not sure how many times that type of situation will actually happen, but it is recommended to have some lock picking skills when pursuing cyber security.
Lock Picking Provides Cyber Security Skills:
Learning lock picking can actually teach people new skills that are extremely beneficial to people pursuing a career in cyber security. In the article “5 Lessons Lock Picking Can Teach You About Cyber Security” by Ralph Goodman, Mr. Goodman wrote, “ Picking a lock requires a tremendous amount of focus and patience… And the more patient you are, the less you miss.” Mr. Goodman is talking about how learning to lock pick helps improve one's patience. When dealing with cyber security work, having patience is essential because you are not going to get much done if you are not calm and composed. You will end up making mistakes and missing a bunch of important steps when you are impatient. That’s just one-way lock picking can provide benefits to people in a cyber security career.
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