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Are you familiar with lock bumping?

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  #1  
Old 08-09-2007
TechSpot Member
  
Member since: Aug 2007, 88 posts
Are you familiar with lock bumping?
What is lock bumping? Up until it was explained to me by my new buddy Martin McKeay, I also had no idea what it is.

Taken from its very own Wikipedia page:
Quote:
A lock is composed of a series of spring-loaded stacks called pin stacks. Each pin stack is composed of two pins that are stacked on top of each other: the key pin, which touches the key when it is inserted, and the driver pin, which is spring driven. When the proper key is inserted into the lock, all of the key pins and driver pins align, allowing the cylinder to be turned. When no key or the wrong key is in the lock, the pin misalignment prevents the cylinder from being turned.

When lock bumping, the key is initially placed one notch out along the keyway. Bumping the key inward forces it deeper into the keyway. The specially designed teeth of the bump key jiggle all of the pins in the lock. The key pins transmit this force to the driver pins. Because the pin movements are highly elastic, the driver pins separate from the key pins for a split second and are then pushed back by the spring. Even though this separation only lasts a split second, if a light force is applied to the key, the cylinder can be turned and the lock can be opened.
There are a number of videos available highlighting the technique of lock bumping, including on YouTube:

YouTube video #1
YouTube video #2

Do a quick YouTube or Google search, and you'll likely be amazed! :eek:
  #2  
Old 08-09-2007
CMH CMH is offline
TechSpot Chancellor
  
Location: Aus
Member since: Jun 2005, 2,526 posts
I'm not sure its such a good idea sharing this information with everyone, but its an interesting thing I've not even heard about. I have some info on lockpicking using picks, but this seems so much easier.... however you need that darn bump key specific to the lock, which may be a little hard to obtain.
  #3  
Old 08-09-2007
SNGX1275's Avatar
TechSpot Forces Special
  
Location: Rolla, Missouri, USA
Member since: Feb 2002, 10,815 posts
System specs
Yes. I made a key myself, problem is I couldn't make it work. I thought I did a pretty good job making it too, so either I'm missing something obvious, or it isn't nearly as simple as all these videos showing how easy it is seem to make it.
  #4  
Old 08-09-2007
halo71's Avatar
TechSpot Maniac
  
Location: Augusta, GA.
Member since: Jun 2005, 1,290 posts
yeah I think those videos are kinda like the "how to repair a scratched CD with a Banana" one on YouTube. Something is a miss somewhere....
  #5  
Old 08-09-2007
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Ambassador
  
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 10,835 posts
maybe for a $1.95 diy lock kit, but any good lock would not behave this way.
  #6  
Old 08-09-2007
TechSpot Member
  
Member since: Aug 2007, 88 posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by jobeard
maybe for a $1.95 diy lock kit, but any good lock would not behave this way.
That's what I thought, then I saw someone do it in person... :eek:
  #7  
Old 08-09-2007
TechSpot Evangelist
  
Member since: Aug 2004, 25,949 posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maikeru
then I saw someone do it in person... :eek:
Is that person or prison?

Just kidding lol.

Regards Howard
  #8  
Old 08-09-2007
SNGX1275's Avatar
TechSpot Forces Special
  
Location: Rolla, Missouri, USA
Member since: Feb 2002, 10,815 posts
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If you google for 'whatthebump' (I think its wmv but it might be avi) there is a long video from defcon or something similar from a few years back that talks about it.

Supposedly it works better on more expensive locks because they have tighter controls and the pins then can be struck and move correctly, where cheaper locks the pins might not go straight up and could loose momentum by hitting the walls.

Perhaps in that same video or another they had a comment about how some ugly looking (poorly filed) bumpkeys worked just as well as nicely made ones. I thought I did a fair job on mine, certainly not perfect, but not bad either and I had no luck.
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