Emergency lockout services

Recreation of defeating locking systems

For the village formerly called Locksport, see Lockington, Ohio.

Locksport is the sport or recreation of defeating locking systems. Its enthusiasts learn a variety of skills including lock picking, lock bumping, and a variety of other skills traditionally known only to locksmiths and other security professionals. Locksport followers enjoy the challenge and excitement of learning to defeat all forms of locks, and often gather together in sport groups to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and participate in a variety of recreational activities and contests.

History

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Lock picking has existed for as long as locks have, and recreational lock picking has as well. King Louis XVI of France (1754–1793) was a keen designer, picker and manipulator of locks.^[1]

Notes from the MIT Roof and Tunnel Hacking community^[2] were made widely available in 1991 as The MIT Guide to Lock Picking.

However, as an organized hobby, lock picking is a relatively recent phenomenon. The earliest known organized group of lock picking enthusiasts is the German club SSDeV (Sportsfreunde der Sperrtechnik – Deutschland e.V. [de], which translates as Sports Enthusiasts of Lockpicking – Germany, reg. assoc.). SSDeV was founded by Steffen Wernéry in 1997.^[3] As the group grew in Germany, another group was founded in The Netherlands in 1999. This group, originally called NVHS, and currently called TOOOL (The Open Organisation Of Lockpickers),^[4] has also helped to pioneer the collaborative hobby of lock picking.

The term locksport was adopted by lock picking enthusiasts as a way of differentiating what they do from locksmiths, as well as from those who might choose to pick locks for nefarious purposes. As of early 2005, the term had been suggested, but not widely adopted. The creation of the sport group Locksport International in July 2005, founded by Josh Nekrep, Kim Bohnet, and Devon McDormand of LockPicking101.com, helped to solidify the term within the community, and today the term is widely adopted in North America by those who practice the craft for fun and sport. Locksport International is now under the direction of Doug Farre.^[5]

In the beginning of 2024 a book called "locksport" was published, detailing how competitions are run and how to train for them. The book is written by five lockpickers, each writing about their own speciality. ^[6]

Philosophy

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At the core of locksport is the philosophical belief in responsible full disclosure. Locksport enthusiasts target security through obscurity that is common within the locksmith industry, as well as among lock manufacturers. Those who choose to participate in locksport often seek to discover security vulnerabilities and notify lock manufacturers as well as, in some instances, the public, in an effort to promote improvements in the field of physical security and to aid consumers in making better, more informed decisions about their own security.^[7] This philosophy is contradictory to that held by many locksmith organizations,^[8] and locksport enthusiasts have come under attack for releasing information about lesser-known vulnerabilities.^{[citation needed]} Nonetheless, locksport enthusiasts persist in discovering weaknesses in all forms of physical security.

Activities

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At locksport meetings, members regularly participate in a variety of activities such as lock challenges, lock relay races, standardized tests, and many other such activities dreamed up by the members themselves. Many enthusiasts support each other through online groups and forums such as Facebook, where a number of locksport groups^[9] are available to join for those looking to get into the sport.

One such activity is known as the Padlock Challenge, where members each start with a predefined number of padlocks linked together. As participants pick a lock, they attach the lock to the chain of padlocks of another participant. The goal is to be the first to rid oneself of all one's locks. Another common activity is some form of speed challenge, where members are given a limited time to pick a lock, or compete for the best time on one or more locks.

The Open Organisation Of Lockpickers (Toool) Netherlands chapter engages in two types of competitions.^[10] Stefaan Offerman conceived the 'continuous competition', which runs throughout the year and offers participants the chance to thoroughly familiarize themselves with 20 to 30 different competition locks. Competitors can attempt to pick a specific lock as many times as they wish, with only their fastest time being recorded. The results from previous competitions can be found on the TOOOL Netherlands website.^[11]

Since 2002, Toool has also been organizing the renowned and infamous 'Dutch Open' lockpicking championships. This event attracts lockpickers from various countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United States, who compete for the highly coveted cup. Unlike the continuous competition, the Dutch Open provides a new lock for each round, requiring competitors to be in top form. Since 2008, the Dutch Open has been held during LockCon.

Contests

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There are several organized lock picking contests that are held each year. Both SSDeV and TOOOL.NL hold a major contest each year, attended by hobbyists and travellers from around the globe. In North America, contests are held at the Defcon Convention in Las Vegas each year, and the HOPE Convention every second year. Rules and format of contests vary from event to event.

"Locksport fans compete in several formats, including head-to-head contests that determine the fastest lock picker. In the so-called Locksport Wizard, each contestant is given a burlap sack containing an identical set of locks and is required to blindly pick them using only tools they have put in the sack."

In other challenges, participants have to pick their way out of handcuffs before attempting to defeat a set of locks. There also are competitions to disassemble locks and reassemble them properly.^[12]

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There are currently several conventions exclusive to locksport. This includes conventions such as LockCon^[13] (formerly The Dutch Open), LockFest EU^[14] and OzSecCon Australia.^[15] These conferences include talks on locks and physical security technologies, as well as competitions between participants in different types of opening techniques. Enthusiasts have also found acceptance among a variety of hacker conventions. DEFCON and HOPE are the most notable. At each of these conventions a dedicated area called "The Lock Picking Village" is set up where contests and presentations are held. Here, attendees can learn to pick locks and watch others practice and compete.

Because lock picking is sometimes viewed as a nefarious craft, locksport enthusiasts uphold a very rigorous standard of ethics.

Locksporters abide by the following rules in order to make it clear to the people outside of the community that its activities are within ethical boundaries:

• They may not open a lock that is in use.
• They may open only locks that belong to them. For other locks, they need express consent of the owner.
• A lock which has been effectively abandoned by its owner and placed in a public place without securing anything (i.e., not "in use", such as a lock placed on a "lovewall") may ethically be picked by any locksporter, provided the lock is returned to its original locked position and state. Permanently removing (or relocating) the lock may be done only when lawfully and specifically sanctioned by an appropriate authority (usually the lawful landowner upon which the lock is placed, which may be a department of governance).
• The security needs of others must be preserved.
• All activities take place within boundaries of respectability, integrity and professionalism.

In an effort to keep lock-picking skill away from those who would abuse it, members of locksport groups have zero tolerance for illegal or immoral lock picking, bypass, or other forms of entry.^[16] Though the incidence of lock picking for crime is statistically low,^{[citation needed]} locksport enthusiasts feel they must uphold such strict standards to refute the common misconception that they are participating in illegal activities.^[17]

Secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects

For other uses, see Safe (disambiguation).

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A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure lockable enclosure used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form a door. The body and door may be cast from metal (such as steel) or formed out of plastic through blow molding. Bank teller safes typically are secured to the counter, have a slit opening for dropping valuables into the safe without opening it, and a time-delay combination lock to foil thieves. One significant distinction between types of safes is whether the safe is secured to a wall or structure or if it can be moved around.

History

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2012)

The first known safe dates back to the 13th century BC and was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses II. It was made of wood and consisted of a locking system resembling the modern pin tumbler lock.^[1]

In the 16th century, blacksmiths in southern Germany, Austria, and France first forged cash boxes in sheet iron. These sheet-iron money chests served as the models for mass-produced cash boxes in the 19th century.^[2]

In the 17th century, in northern Europe, iron safes were sometimes made in the shape of a barrel, with a padlock on top.^[3]

In 1835, English inventors Charles and Jeremiah Chubb in Wolverhampton, England, received a patent for a burglar-resisting safe and began a production of safes.^[4] The Chubb brothers had produced locks since 1818. Chubb Locks was an independent company until 2000 when it was sold to Assa Abloy.

On November 2, 1886, inventor Henry Brown patented a "receptacle for storing and preserving papers". The container was fire retardant and accident resistant as it was made from forged metal. The box was able to be safely secured with a lock and key and also able to maintain organization by offering different slots to organize important papers.^[5][6]

Specifications for safes include some or all of the following parameters:

• Burglar-resistance
• Fire-resistance
• Environmental resistance (e.g., to water or dust)
• Type of lock (e.g., combination, key, time lock, electronic locking)
• Location (e.g., wall safe, floor safe)
• Smart safes as part of an automated cash handling system

It is often possible to open a safe without access to the key or knowledge of the combination; this activity is known as safe-cracking and is a popular theme in heist films.

A diversion safe, or hidden safe, is a safe that is made from an otherwise ordinary object such as a book, a candle, a can, or wall outlet. Valuables are placed in these hidden safes, which are themselves placed inconspicuously (for example, a book would be placed on a book shelf).

Fire-resistant record protection equipment consists of self-contained devices that incorporate insulated bodies, doors, drawers or lids, or non-rated multi-drawer devices housing individually rated containers that contain one or more inner compartments for storage of records. These devices are intended to provide protection to one or more types of records as evidenced by the assigned Class rating or ratings; Class 350 for paper, Class 150 for microfilm, microfiche other and photographic film and Class 125 for magnetic media and hard drives. Enclosures of this type are typically rated to protect contents for 1⁄2, 1, 2, or 4 hours; they will not protect indefinitely. They may also be rated for their resistance to impact should the safe fall a specified distance onto a hard surface, or have debris fall upon it during a fire.^[7]

Burglary-resistant safes are rated as to their resistance to various types of tools and the duration of the attack.

Safes can contain hardware that automatically dispenses cash or validates bills as part of an automated cash handling system.

For larger volumes of heat-sensitive materials, a modular room-sized vault is much more economical than purchasing and storing many fire rated safes. Typically these room-sized vaults are utilized by corporations, government agencies and off-site storage service firms. Fireproof vaults are rated up to Class 125-4 Hour for large data storage applications. These vaults utilize ceramic fiber, a high temperature industrial insulating material, as the core of their modular panel system. All components of the vault, not just the walls and roof panels, must be Class 125 rated to achieve that overall rating for the vault. This includes the door assembly (a double door is needed since there is no single Class 125 vault door available), cable penetrations, coolant line penetrations (for split HVAC systems), and air duct penetrations.

There are also Class 150 applications (such as microfilm) and Class 350 vaults for protecting valuable paper documents. Like the data-rated (Class 125) structures, these vault systems employ ceramic fiber insulation and components rated to meet or exceed the required level of protection.

In recent years room-sized Class 125 vaults have been installed to protect entire data centers. As data storage technologies migrate from tape-based storage methods to hard drives, this trend is likely to continue.^[8]

A fire-resistant safe is a type of safe that is designed to protect its contents from high temperatures or actual fire. Fire resistant safes are usually rated by the amount of time they can withstand the extreme temperatures a fire produces, while not exceeding a set internal temperature, e.g., less than 350 °F (177 °C). Models are typically available between half-hour and four-hour durations.

In the UK, the BS EN-1047 standard is set aside for data and document safes to determine their ability to withstand prolonged intense heat and impact damage.

• Document safes are designed to maintain an internal temperature no greater than 177 °C (351 °F) while in a constantly heated environment in excess of 1,000 °C (1,830 °F).
• Data safes are designed to maintain an internal temperature no greater than 55 °C (131 °F) while in a constantly heated environment in excess of 1,000 °C (1,830 °F).

These conditions are maintained for the duration of the test. This is usually at least 30 minutes but can extend to many hours depending on grade. Both kinds of safe are also tested for impact by dropping from a set height onto a solid surface and then tested for fire survivability once again.^[9]

In the United States, both the writing of standards for fire-resistance and the actual testing of safes is performed by Underwriters Laboratories.

An in-floor safe installed in a concrete floor is very resistant to fire. However, not all floor safes are watertight; they may fill with water from fire hoses. Contents can be protected against water damage by appropriate packaging.

Reinforced, fireproof cabinets are also used for dangerous chemicals or flammable goods.

Wall safes are designed to provide hidden protection for documents and miscellaneous valuables. Adjustable depth allows the maximization of usable space when installed in different wall thicknesses. Some wall safes have pry-resistant recessed doors with concealed hinges. A painting or other wall decoration may be hung over a wall safe to hide it.

Small safes may be fixed to a wall to prevent the entire safe being removed, without concealment. Very small secure enclosures known as key safes, opened by entering a combination, are attached to the wall of a building to store the keys allowing access, so that they are available only to a person knowing the combination, typically for holiday lets, carers, or emergency use.^[10][11]

Safe-cracking is opening a safe without a combination or key. There are many methods of safe-cracking ranging from brute force methods to guessing the combination. The easiest method that can be used on many safes is "safe bouncing", which involves hitting the safe on top; this may cause the locking pin to budge, opening the safe^{[citation needed]}.

Physicist Richard Feynman gained a reputation for safe-cracking while working on the Manhattan Project during the Second World War. He did this for recreation, describing his experiences and methods in detail in his book Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!. He made the point that the secure storage he successfully opened clandestinely (to which he would have been given access if he asked) contained contents far more important than any thief had ever accessed, all the secrets of the wartime atomic bomb project.^[12]

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) testing certifications are known to be some of the most rigorous and most respected in the world.^[13] UL provides numerous ratings, the most common security and fire ratings as discussed below. UL ratings are the typical rating standards used for safes within the United States. They are only matched by B.T.U/VDMA certifications (Germany).^[14]

UL provides a variety of fire rating classifications, 125, 150, and 350 representing the maximum internal temperature in degrees Fahrenheit the safe may not exceed during the test. The classifications come in durations from

1⁄2-hour to 4 hours in length. The safe is exposed to gradually higher temperatures depending on the duration of the test. The most common standards being the 350 one hour (1,700 degrees) and 350 two hour (1,850 degrees) ratings as the temperature paper chars is approximately 451 degrees Fahrenheit.^[15]

UL standards are one of the principal North American protection standards.^[16] The resistance time limit specifies "tools on the safe" time without access to contents.^[17] The test might take hours to run and can be repeated as many times as the UL staff feel necessary to ensure that all prospective avenues of attack have been thoroughly explored.

This is the entry level security rating offered by Underwriters Laboratories and it has its own standard: (UL 1037).^[18] The standard originally had one level, now known as RSC Level I. The standard was expanded in 2016 providing a greater range of security options.^[19] This standard also involves a drop test for products weighing not more than 750 pounds, simulating attempting to gain entry by dropping the safe.^[20]

• RSC Level I - Must withstand a five-minute attack by one technician using common hand tools such as drills, screwdrivers and hammers.
• RSC Level II - Must withstand a ten-minute attack by two technicians who use more aggressive tools such as picks, sledgehammers, pry bars, high-speed carbide drills and pressure applying devices. In addition, the technicians will attempt to make a six-square-inch opening in the door or the front face of the safe.
• RSC Level III - Also gives two technicians a ten-minute window to perform the test, but the range of tools become even more aggressive, and the size of the maximum attack opening must not exceed two square inches.

Safes at this level are typically, but not exclusively, used for commercial applications such as jewelers and coin dealers. These ratings are granted to combination locked safes that successfully resist when attacked by two technicians with common hand tools, picking tools, mechanical or portable electric tools, grinding points, carbide drills and pressure applying devices or mechanisms. In addition to those requirements, the safe must weigh at least 750 pounds or come with instructions for anchoring, and have body walls of material equivalent to at least 1" open hearth steel with a minimum tensile strength of 50,000 psi. The UL Standard for tool-resistant safes and above are governed by UL Standard 687.^[21][22]

• TL-15 - This is a combination-locked safe that offers limited protection against combinations of common mechanical and electrical tools. The safe will resist abuse for 15 minutes from tools such as hand tools, picking tools, mechanical or electric tools, grinding points, carbide drills and devices that apply pressure. While the UL 687 defines this as a "limited degree" of protection, that standard is used for commercial applications, and the TL-15 rating offers significantly better protection than many unrated safes.
• TL-30 - This safe offers moderate protection against combinations of mechanical and electrical tools. The safe will resist abuse for 30 minutes from the same tools as the TL-15 test, plus more aggressive tools including cutting wheels and power saws.
• TL-30x6 - This is safe can withstand the same assaults as the TL-30 but protection is offered on all six-sides of the body as opposed to only the door.

• TRTL-30x6 - This is a combination-locked safe that offers high protection against combinations of mechanical, electrical, and cutting tools. The safe will resist abuse for 30 minutes from tools such as hand tools, picking tools, mechanical or electrical tools, grinding points, carbide drills, devices that apply pressure, cutting wheels, power saws, impact tools and, in addition, can withstand an oxy-fuel welding and cutting torch (tested gas limited to 1,000 cubic feet (28 m³) combined total oxygen and fuel gas.)^[23]
• TRTL-60x6 - This class will withstand the same assaults as Class TRTL-30x6 for 60 minutes.

• TXTL-60x6 - This class meets all the requirements for Class TRTL-60x6 and in addition can withstand detonation of one charge of 4 ounces (110 g) of nitroglycerin, or other high explosive of equivalent energy. Multiple charges up to a total of 8 ounces (230 g) may be used.

Depending on the usage, the European Committee for Standardization has published different European standards for safes. Testing and certification according to these standards should be done by an accredited certification body, e.g. European Certification Body.^[24]

• EN 1143-1 is the main testing standard for safes, ATM safes, strongroom doors and strongrooms. For safes it features eleven resistance grades (0, I, II, ..., to X). From one grade to the next the security rises by approximately 50%. Testing is based on a free choice of attack tools and methods. Testing requires partial access (hand hole) and complete access attempts, on all sides of the product. The security is calculated by using ratings of tools and the attack time. The result is expressed in resistance units (RU).^[25]
• EN 14450 is a testing standard for secure cabinets and strongboxes. The standard covers products meant for purposes where the security resistance required is less than that of EN 1143–1.^[26]

For fire-resistant safes the EN 1047-1 (fire resistance standard similar to the fire resistance safe standard of UL) and EN 15659 (for light fire storage units) were published.^[27]

• 
  Iron safe with bronze decorations, including appliqué heads of deities arranged in a row, found in Pompeii, now in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples
• 
  18th century sealable cashbox, sometimes called a barrel safe (Finnish customs service museum in Susisaari [fi], Suomenlinna
• 
  A small hotel safe, secured to a wall to also prevent it being removed unopened.

• Access control
• Concealment device
• United States government safe and vault door specifications
• Gun safe
• Lock
• Manual override
• Physical security
• Safe deposit box
• Security
• Safe room
• Strongroom
• Time-delay combination locks

• Locks, Safes, and Security: An International Police Reference, published by Charles Thomas Publishers, Springfield, Illinois, United States. (2000) ISBN 0-398-07079-2.

Look up safe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Media related to Safes at Wikimedia Commons