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The Vulnerabilities of Standard Locks

Most residences have standard security locks such as Schlage® or Kwikset®. Usually these brands are equipped with standard security cylinders, even in their grade 2 and grade 1 offerings. These locks are designed for basic function, not for withstanding a dedicated attack. Their weaknesses include:

• Unauthorized Key Duplication: A standard key can be copied in minutes at any hardware store or self-serve kiosk, with no questions asked. This means any person you’ve ever given a key to—a contractor, a former tenant, a valet—could have made a copy without your knowledge.
• Lock Bumping: This alarmingly simple technique uses a specially cut “bump key” that can open the vast majority of standard pin-tumbler locks in seconds. It leaves no sign of forced entry, making it a favorite of burglars.
• Lock Picking: The simple design of standard cylinders makes them highly susceptible to picking by individuals with minimal training and basic tools available online.
• Drilling: Most standard cylinders are made of soft brass, which can be quickly drilled through with a common power drill to destroy the locking mechanism and allow entry.
• Cross-Keying: Since a specific brand of lock is usually very popular in a particular geographic area, and the population usually exceeds 3,000, it is statistically possible that there are two or more houses that have the same key. High security locks offer a vastly higher number of unique key combinations to prevent this.

There are 3 grades of locks:

Grade 1 locks, are a High Security deadbolt system used for commercial and residential doors. 

• Standard faceplate
• Drive in (for beveled doors)
• Double cylinder
• Single cylinder
• Captive key deadbolt

Grade 2 locks, provide protection for residential and commercial doors. 

• Single cylinder (with thumb turn)
• Double cylinder

Grade 3 locks only meet residential building requirements and provide minimal residential security.

• Single cylinder (with thumb turn)
• Double cylinder

Need high security locks for your home or business? Call us today for a free price quote on hardware and installation! We are an elite dealer of Mul-T-Lock and our knowledgeable team of experts is ready to assist you.

What Defines a True High-Security Lock?

Absolute Key Control: The Foundation of Security

The ability to control the creation, distribution, and cutting of keys for a given lock can greatly increase the security of the keying system. Most high-security locks have key bows and warding patterns that are patent protected to prevent unauthorized manufacturing. This means the key blanks cannot be legally copied or sold by anyone other than the original manufacturer and their authorized dealers. Keys to high security locks also generally require a security card for an authorized locksmith to duplicate keys. Moreover, many also require a specialized key cutting machine. This system ensures that only you, the verified owner, can authorize a new key to be made.

Advanced Internal Mechanisms: Resisting Covert Attacks

Almost all high-security locks have components designed to resist manipulation from lock-picking and decoding attacks. While standard locks use simple driver and key pins, high-security cylinders employ a variety of advanced, patented mechanisms:

• Security Pins: These are the most popular example of anti-manipulation components. Pins shaped like spools, mushrooms, or serrated spools are designed to bind inside the cylinder when a picking tool is used, creating a “false set” that tricks the attacker and makes it incredibly difficult to open the lock.
• Telescopic Pins (MUL-T-LOCK): This pin-within-a-pin design requires two alignments per pin stack, exponentially increasing the number of combinations and the difficulty of picking.
• Angled Cuts & Sidebars (Medeco): Medeco keys feature angled cuts which, in addition to lifting the pins, must also rotate them to the correct angle to align with a sidebar. This dual-action requirement is extremely difficult to defeat.
• Anti-Bumping Technology: Many high-security designs incorporate features that are specifically designed to absorb the kinetic energy of a bump key, rendering the technique useless.

Uncompromising Physical Resistance: Defeating Brute Force

High security cylinders are made to be “virtually” pick-proof and usually have hardened steel inserts in them to help prevent physical attack by drilling. The body of the cylinder is often constructed from heavy-duty steel or reinforced brass and is protected by features like:

• Hardened Steel Inserts: Placed at strategic points, these inserts are designed to destroy normal drill bits on contact, stopping a drilling attack before it can reach the lock’s core mechanism.
• Reinforced Collars & Guards: These components protect the exposed part of the cylinder, preventing it from being forcefully wrenched, twisted, or pulled out of the door.

The Guardian Angel Advantage: Expert Installation

A high-security lock is a precision instrument. Its advanced features are only effective if the lock is installed to the manufacturer’s exact specifications. An improper installation can create misalignments or weak points that compromise the lock’s integrity. Our technicians are certified and factory-trained in the installation of elite brands like MUL-T-LOCK, Medeco, and Schlage Primus, ensuring your investment provides the full measure of protection it was designed for.

 

Learn more about our Residential Products here:

• Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV)
• High Security Locks-MT5+
• Mul-T-Lock 800 High Security 
• Mul-T-Lock Grade 1 Deadbolt 
• Intercom Systems
• Safes
• Rekeying/Cylinder Combination Change
• Card Access Control Systems/Keyless Entry
• Smart Locks
• Keys Duplication
• DoorBird
• DoorKing
• Access Control