Kwikset SmartKey Padlock

[GWiens2001]

Just a quickie...

Bought this padlock at Lowe's. (Hardware store)



Yes, Kwikset SmartKey branded padlock. With the recognizable keyway/plug.



Won't waste your time tearing apart the SmartKey cylinder, but here is how to remove the core: Open the lock and look in the hole for the shackle toe. See that strip of metal with the holes in it?



Use a pick to slide that strip away from the lock core...



And the core falls out.



Complex, eh? OK, here is the lock body with the core removed and the metal tab slid out of the way:



And with the metal tab slid back in (look in the channels at the top and bottom).

So the whole lock core is retained with a metal tab at the top and bottom about 2/3 the thickness of a retainer on a cam lock.

Better hope the people breaking in are really stupid.

Gordon

[macgng]

thanks for the post GW! good to know.

[rzr800]

Kwikset Smart keys are the biggest scam ever. This big apartment complex switched from old school weiser to these smart key deadbolts, all tenant keys are copied and not code cut and my phone number is on there answering machine because these kwikset locks jump the track all the time making the tenant keys useless.

[GWiens2001]

Who needs a key? Just hang it loosely like this:



And hit it here:



And a little video I just made.



Not the most secure thing around.

Gordon

[mercurial]

Great post!

What a joke, vulnerability to such a bypass is just pathetic!

It seems this Smartkey, at least, isn't bump proof. Don't even need a bump key... And yet it looks like they went to the trouble of using double ball locking, to prevent shinming.

...Mark

[UnlockD]

Wow. Just, wow. Looks like I wouldn't bust out a 33333 blank and a screwdriver, should I ever encounter one of those in the field. Thanks for the vid!

[Oldfast]

hahaaaAAAA! Now THERE'S a vid I wouldn't mind seeing go viral

You know... it almost seems that a legitimate lawsuit could be
brought against a company for producing shit like that. Doesn't it?

*shrugs*.... I dunno. Thanks Gordon! Good stuff.

[GWiens2001]

Do you think if we sent the video to Lowe's, they would drop the product, especially if they new the same video was on YouTube?

Gordon

[Oldfast]

I'd send the vid to anywhere & everywhere you even THINK it may make a difference. lol

What's the worst that could happen? Nothing? Which is what normally happens anyway.

But hey Ya never know. It'd be pretty cool if something DID become of it.

[jharveee]

Wow! I was not aware that Snap-on made lock-picks.
Gotta get me one of those.

[mercurial]

I'd send the vid to anywhere & everywhere you even THINK it may make a difference. lol

What's the worst that could happen? Nothing? Which is what normally happens anyway.

A small word of warning, although I would think the odds of this happening may be low : Barry Wels was very nearly sued by a very large lock manufacturer back when he was bringing lock bumping into the public gaze.

The only reason this never happened is that he included a disclaimer stating that whilst the samples of locks he had tested were vulnerable to bumping, this was not necessarily indicative that ALL such locks are vulnerable. Consider including a disclaimer to this effect if you are asserting that a given lock is useless.

I'd hate to see anyone here get hit with a huge lawsuit!

...Mark

[GWiens2001]

The product is not useless, and a minor fix could prevent the problem. Still not a fan of the SmartKey locks in any format.

Would think the engineers at Kwikset had to have realized the vulnerability, and probably had suggested fixes. A simple drop of adhesive would cure this problem. It concerns me that the lock was brought to market with the current problem.

Made the video mainly because it shocked me that so obvious a flaw was not addressed. Had the lock open about ten seconds before I saw how it probably came apart. Used a pick (scratch awl) to move it over, and could not believe how easily the retainer moved.

This is a new product on the market, and knew that if the vulnerability was not made blatantly clear, that the lock would achieve deep market penetration with the manufacturer not making any changes due to bean counters. Then, when the vulnerability was brought to light, it would be far too costly to repair units already in service.

By trumpeting the vulnerability while the product was quite new on the market, Kwikset would be forced to address the issue in order to maintain marketability of the product. Won't go into my security concerns over the SmartKey format itself - people in the lock community would already be aware if those.

It would be great if Kwikset were to correct this vulnerability, be it by adhesive, reshaping the retainer clip to make it fit tighter, or by some other means. Then they would have a product on par with their other SmartKey products. This would please a great many homeowners, as they could have gate and shed locks keyed the same as their home, and just as fast/easy to rekey. But am familiar with how a number of corporations (no fingers being pointed here) will try to sweep a problem under the table, rather than fix the problem and end up with a better product.

Gordon

[MBI]

Oh, my sides. I had to stop laughing before I could type a reply.

When I saw the first pics I thought a slam hammer would make quick work of pulling that core with it only held in by a little tab of metal, but after seeing the vid its even easier to remove than I'd thought. I hope they're quick to fix that flaw. I'd better buy one of these now for the hilarity factor, in case they do fix it.

Wow. Just... wow.

[GWiens2001]

They should fix it Kwik. Thought of the slide hammer myself, but wanted to try non-destructive entry first.

Gordon

[mercurial]

Gordon,

I fully agree with your immediate trumpeting of this vulnerability(!) & your motivations are totally sound. I also enjoyed a good laugh watching it. I just wanted to point out to forum members in general that there may be a small risk involved if somebody goes over the top (you didn't), when pointing out a vulnerability & this seemed a relevant place to do it.

As you pointed out, this should be very simple to fix & it will be a great convenience for those who choose to use Smartkey to be able to have their padlocks keyed alike to their Smartkey locksets, should they so desire.

...Mark