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Home / Security / Why Combination Padlocks Are Totally Insecure

Why Combination Padlocks Are Totally Insecure

John P.

April 22, 2007 By John P.

Here is a demonstration of how to open a padlock in 1 minute or less using nothing more than scissors and a coke can.


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Filed Under: Security, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: Hacking, Lock, Security, Tutorials, Videos

About John P.

John P. is a former CEO, former TV Show Host, and the Founder and Wizard behind Texas Metal Works. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Feel free to send shoutouts, insults, and praise. Or Money. Money is good.

Comments

  1. Brian Vine says

    March 28, 2016 at 11:09 am

    I’m almost seriously convinced padlocks are mostly meant to help keep gates and doors shut and aren’t really meant to keep out intruders. If someone really wants to get into something, a padlock isn’t gonna keep them out of it. I suppose maybe they keep out really unmotivated burglars?

    “I would break into this guy’s shed but… I mean, there’s a padlock… Guess I’ll just call it a day…”

  2. mtnbkr says

    October 29, 2010 at 4:14 pm

    I’ve picked a few of those in high school with a filed down bobby pin in about 2 seconds. Nothing to it.

  3. bikerider says

    June 18, 2009 at 2:56 pm

    um, yeah.

    the “no real security” statement is a joke, right?

    For starters, that might work on the lock in the video, but it won’t work on my masterlock, I just tried it and it will chew up your pop-can shim just like his chewed up the “commercial” shim.

    Second, when the lock is on a hasp or otherwise used to secure something, you don’t always have room to screw with it the way you do when it is loose and in your hand.

    Third, why not cut the chain or tear the hasp off the door/whatever? A bolt cutter is quick and easy and will work purely by giving you enough leverage to pry open a cheap lock, you don’t need to cut anything.

    No lock is impervious, they just keep things closed against casual fiddling. One can usually find a way around a padlock easier than trying to open the lock itself.

  4. Tiffany says

    January 28, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    Interesting… takes some practice to get it right. I asked a friend of mine who works at Master Lock about it, he said that by summer of 2009 their style of these combo locks will have an internal device to prevent this, so pick ’em while you can!

  5. hthth says

    April 26, 2007 at 8:21 am

    Haha. Yeah.

    I guess all we need now is a video on how to get away with murder and we’re all set to become super-villains *grin*

  6. The Man says

    April 23, 2007 at 1:39 am

    That was an awesome demonstration of how to actually pick a combo lock Hrafn. Though I must say I think I’d be too impatient to do it and probably end up breaking out a can and making a shim. :-)

    John

  7. hthth says

    April 22, 2007 at 8:13 am

    On similar notes, here’s a demo on how to minimize potential combination sequences from 46.000 to 100.

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