• Brad (unregistered)

    Total number of combinations assuming no repeats (ie 8888) is: 10 * 9 * 8 * 7 = 5040 I know that's not the answer, but its 0:30 am over her...

  • (cs)

    Inefficient but simple solution in Ruby:

    (0..9999).map{|i| "%04i" % i}.join
  • mr X (unregistered)

    That's the same system as the door entry on my workplace! I've been wondering how short a sequence would be enough to brute-force it for ages.

  • Frank (unregistered)

    Quite honestly, this is a ethically questionable code challenge.

    You're not only revealing how these lock boxes work (Which, yes, would be commonly available information), but you're announcing "to the world" that they're simple to break into, with a solution to how to do it.

    Why do I have issue with this? People selling their house have a realtor, who will use lockboxes. For the seller, there's no guarantee that others will use spin-wheel, combination, or push-button lockboxes, and the seller has no say on what will be employed.

    You're now telling people how to get a key for doors to houses for people who are selling for one reason or another. Most will not use this information in a negative manner, however, some douche out there will take this information (which might not have been apparent) as an invitation to start ripping people off.

    Think about it - you're selling your house. You're not home most of the time (Work), and neighbours are used to seeing people coming and going into your home. And then you find a website which is announcing a contest, for fun, on how to get a key for your house.

    Strike anyone else as questionable / bad idea? Tinfoil hat wearer I'm not, I just have issues with other people's ethics (Such as the dick who did this to a friend some months ago)

  • damage (unregistered) in reply to Brad

    No repeats would be a bit strange, why wouldn't there be repeats? Without repeats it would be 10^4 aka 10,000 codes, or 40,000 individual digits.

    Assuming the best redundancy possible, the first code will take 4 key presses and each additional keypress will get another combination for 9999 additional codes, that's 10,003 digits bare minimum.

    This seems like an interesting challenge. I think it would be useful if we had a program to test a given output to confirm it is correct.

  • damage (unregistered) in reply to Frank

    Oops, I meant 'with repeats'.

    Also, Frank, I think a person could pick the lock faster than they could enter a code of at least 10,003 digits. Even if they had to learn lockpicking from scratch.

  • Mike (unregistered)

    I didn't actually check this but wouldn't you grab a large quantity of possible combinations simply by:

    n = total numbers ; for ( int i = 1 ; i <= n ; i++ ) num = 1 ; for ( int j = 2 ; j <= n ; j++ ) num = ( num + i ) % n ;

  • (cs)

    Isn't TRWTF that there's a Thread in the "Coders Challenge" forum here on TDWTF which is about three years old, and covers exactly that problem?

    http://forums.thedailywtf.com/forums/t/5824.aspx

  • Vollhorst (unregistered)

    I had to block the stupid http://please-support.thedailywtf.com/ subdomain to be able to get to this page... great work, Alex!

  • Fritz (unregistered)

    π (pi) will open any door.

  • smit (unregistered)

    WITH numbers AS (SELECT LEVEL - 1 AS num FROM DUAL CONNECT BY LEVEL < 11) SELECT SYS_CONNECT_BY_PATH (num, '-') AS combination FROM numbers CONNECT BY NOCYCLE PRIOR num <> num;

    ...now that's a neat trick!

  • Anon Ymous (unregistered)

    When I bought my house, someone left one of these (the type was a 4-digit lock where you scroll the individual digits into place and push a button to open it). Knowing that there were only 10,000 possibly combinations I decided to brute force it open (change a digit, push the button, repeat).

    It ended up taking about 10 minutes. The correct combination turned out to be my house number! Tried it on another house for sale in the neighborhood... success. (I did not enter the house, just tested the code on the box.) I informed the builder selling the houses and they assured me that they take security very seriously. There wasn't anything in the houses though since they were new.

  • (cs)

    Planning to rob some houses, are we? ;-)

  • Anonymous (unregistered) in reply to Vollhorst
    Vollhorst:
    I had to block the stupid http://please-support.thedailywtf.com/ subdomain to be able to get to this page... great work, Alex!
    At least he makes it easy for us to block. I now have a filter that blocks anything with "please-support" in the URL because it's obviously going to be an advert or a beg. Screw your livelihoods, website owners!
  • db48x (unregistered) in reply to Frank

    It's not ethically questionable at all. It's far better to encourage people to think critically about the security measures that they employ than it is to try to hide this kind of information. Hiding information never works, those people who would abuse it already have it, while the rest of us need to be sure we understand how the technology around us works.

    Of course, the sad fact is that all locks are much easier to get past than the manufacturers claim. I'm sure there's an easier way to attack a lock like this than brute-forcing the combination, but it's an interesting programming problem nevertheless. There's a known algorithm for finding the shortest sequence when the attempts can overlap like this, but I can't quite think of the name…

  • (cs)

    C# brute force method. Uses string search to avoid duplicates.

            //Brute Force method. Accepts up to 16 buttons
            string CreateLockBoxSequence(uint numberOfDigits, uint numberOfButtons)
            {            
                
                StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();
                uint numberBase = 10;
                if (numberOfButtons > 10)
                {
                    numberBase = 16;
                }
                if (numberOfButtons > 16)
                {
                    throw new ArgumentException("Number of buttons cannot be greater than 16");
                }
                uint loopCount = (uint)Math.Round(Math.Pow(numberBase,numberOfDigits));
                for (uint i = 0; i < loopCount; i += numberBase)
                {
                    //This loop serves to  omit unused digits.
                    for (uint k = 0; k < numberOfButtons; k++)
                    {
                        StringBuilder formatBuilder = new StringBuilder();                    
                        string sequence = Convert.ToString(i + k, (int)numberBase);
                        for (int j = sequence.Length; j < numberOfDigits; j++)
                        {
                            formatBuilder.Append("0");
                        }
                        formatBuilder.Append(sequence);
                        sequence = formatBuilder.ToString();
                        //Append if the sequence doesn't already exist
                        if (!output.ToString().Contains(sequence))
                        {
                            output.Append(sequence);
                        }
                    }
                }
                return output.ToString();
            }
    

    Addendum (2010-03-31 10:21): This method produces 10,124 digits for a (4,10) input.

  • Here's solution in C# (unregistered)

    static int buttons = 10; static int digits = 4;

    static void res(List<int> combs, List<int> nums, int digs) { int i; if (digs == 0) { for (i = 0; i < digits; i++) Console.Write(combs[i]); return; } for (i = nums.Count -1 ; i >=0 ; i--) { int oldnum = nums[i]; combs.Add(oldnum); nums.RemoveAt(i);

                res(combs, nums, digs - 1);
                combs.RemoveAt(combs.Count - 1);
                nums.Add(oldnum);
            }
    
        }
    

    static void Main(string[] args) {

            List<int> comb = new List<int>();
            List<int> nums = new List<int>();
            for (int i = 0; i < buttons; i++)
            {
                nums.Add(i);
            }
            res(comb, nums, digits);
        }
    
  • Anonymous (unregistered) in reply to Frank
    Frank:
    Quite honestly, this is a ethically questionable code challenge.

    You're not only revealing how these lock boxes work (Which, yes, would be commonly available information), but you're announcing "to the world" that they're simple to break into, with a solution to how to do it.

    I'm sorry but revealing commonly known information is not "ethically questionable". You seem to be suggesting that this knowledge, whilst widely known, should not be shared. What this amounts to is the real-life version of security by obscurity and we all know where that leads - a false sense of security that may feel nice but doesn't actually protect you in any way.

    Sharing common knowledge is NEVER morally questionable. If anything, it is morally questionable to attempt to hide or cover up such information.

  • MichaelM (unregistered) in reply to Frank
    1. Bad guys already know. Homeowners should know too so they can make an informed decision about using lock boxes or not.

    2. It's not the weakest link. Want to break into a house? Pretend you're interested, take a tour and leave a window unlocked. That'll also give you a chance to see if there's anything worth stealing and if there is an alarm system.

    3. You've still got 10,000 or however many combinations there are to go through. This would just show a way to hit them all.

  • Drew (unregistered) in reply to MyKey_
    MyKey_:
    Inefficient but simple solution in Ruby:
    (0..9999).map{|i| "%04i" % i}.join

    Similar one in Groovy

    (0..9999).each() { printf("%04d", it) }
  • db48x (unregistered) in reply to db48x

    well, it's a Hamiltonian path around the graph of permutations of length n-1. Perhaps in the morning the name will come to me, or Wikipedia will divulge the answer.

  • (cs)
    Alex Papadimoulis:
    Taking it a step further, the sequence 4-8-2-9-5-1-4-5 would cover the codes 4-8-2-9 8-2-9-5 9-5-1-4 and 5-1-4-5.

    ... and if your code works as well as this, you can leave out possible combinations... like 2-9-5-1...

  • TheKoz (unregistered)

    new lockboxes used in my area help to prevent the brute force... http://www.sentrilock.com/lblive/

    only the buttons in the right order for the box will open it, 3 wrong tries and it locks out for 60 seconds, and the codes only work for 1 day.

    that being said, with the traditional push buttons, the realtor's phone number or the house address are common codes =o(

  • BillyTheSquid (unregistered) in reply to db48x
    db48x:
    It's not ethically questionable at all. It's far better to encourage people to think critically about the security measures that they employ than it is to try to hide this kind of information. Hiding information never works, those people who would abuse it already have it, while the rest of us need to be sure we understand how the technology around us works.

    Just because the information is available, and people are made aware of what the issue is, doesn't necessarily mean they'll change.

    It's continually proven (especially to those in IT) that people will do the easiest, fastest, and simplest thing, and if they have routine? That wins over all.

    There's a style of personality which fears change, whether it be physical (better lock), or mental (don't keep the house number, or year, as the combination, and change the combo from house to @&^*!$ house for crying out loud! A realtor I deal with has 16 houses for sale, all the same combination)

  • Anonymous (unregistered) in reply to MichaelM
    MichaelM:
    Want to break into a house? Pretend you're interested, take a tour and leave a window unlocked.
    Or just put a brick through it like everyone else. But considering this was in the context of real-estate, why the hell would you want to break into an EMPTY house anyways?
  • meh (unregistered) in reply to BillyTheSquid
    BillyTheSquid:
    Just because the information is available, and people are made aware of what the issue is, doesn't necessarily mean they'll change.

    -snip-

    A realtor I deal with has 16 houses for sale, all the same combination)

    If any of those houses get broken into though, the home owner can then point to this website in establishing the realtor's liability for gross negligence.

  • William Clark (unregistered) in reply to lupo

    Worse, this article is from 2004, though it's for the 5-button car door key pads. However, it references this concept, used to find the solution.

  • Anonymous (unregistered) in reply to TheKoz
    TheKoz:
    that being said, with the traditional push buttons, the realtor's phone number or the house address are common codes =o(
    The thing with those push button types, even if they've got metal buttons they still tend to wear very slightly with use. So after a while, four out of the ten buttons start to look worn and obviously used. Clearly the combination is made up of these four numbers so you can easily brute force it from this indication. I've used this trick seeveral times (never to break into houses but same principle).
  • jimicus (unregistered)

    I've seen those things but I don't think I've ever seen a UK estate agent using one. What's wrong with handing a copy of the keys to the estate agent?

  • Drew (unregistered) in reply to Anonymous
    Anonymous:
    MichaelM:
    Want to break into a house? Pretend you're interested, take a tour and leave a window unlocked.
    Or just put a brick through it like everyone else. But considering this was in the context of real-estate, why the hell would you want to break into an EMPTY house anyways?

    A lot of people, when they sell their house, are still living in it. The realtor shows it while they're at work, then they come home and live in it during the night. I know when I was a kid, the realtor would regularly come by when my brother and I were home from school but my parents hadn't gotten home yet.

  • mdm (unregistered)

    Python (probably very naive!):

    codeLength = 4
    l = []
    for i in xrange(0, (pow(10, codeLength) - 1)):
    	s = str(i)
    	if len(s) < codeLength:
    		s = ('0' * (codeLength - len(s))) + s
    	l.append(s)
    print "".join(l)
    
  • what are you talking about (unregistered) in reply to meh
    meh:
    If any of those houses get broken into though, the home owner can then point to this website in establishing the realtor's liability for gross negligence.

    Raise your hand if you actually believe that.

  • Beta (unregistered) in reply to Anon Ymous
    Anon Ymous:
    The correct combination turned out to be my house number! Tried it on another house for sale in the neighborhood... success. (I did not enter the house, just tested the code on the box.) I informed the builder selling the houses and they assured me that they take security very seriously.

    Some blockheads would consider what you did breaking and entering, and some of those blockheads have badges. Be glad the builder wasn't quite that stupid.

  • Medinoc (unregistered)

    It's not limited to key lock boxes: My workplace's electronic locks work that way too (which is good, because I often start by entering the code of the wrong floor)

  • (cs) in reply to jimicus

    Likewise. Assuming these things are hung around the front door handle (as Sentrilock's site illustrates them), what's to stop a criminal walking away with the box and taking it elsewhere to physically break open, then stroll back later with the key to let themselves in?

  • Otto (unregistered)

    In Mathmatica:

    DeBruijnSequence[Range[9999], 4]

    But then that's probably too simple.

  • Helix (unregistered) in reply to Frank
    Frank:
    Quite honestly, this is a ethically questionable code challenge.

    You're not only revealing how these lock boxes work (Which, yes, would be commonly available information), but you're announcing "to the world" that they're simple to break into, with a solution to how to do it.

    Why do I have issue with this? People selling their house have a realtor, who will use lockboxes. For the seller, there's no guarantee that others will use spin-wheel, combination, or push-button lockboxes, and the seller has no say on what will be employed.

    You're now telling people how to get a key for doors to houses for people who are selling for one reason or another. Most will not use this information in a negative manner, however, some douche out there will take this information (which might not have been apparent) as an invitation to start ripping people off.

    Think about it - you're selling your house. You're not home most of the time (Work), and neighbours are used to seeing people coming and going into your home. And then you find a website which is announcing a contest, for fun, on how to get a key for your house.

    Strike anyone else as questionable / bad idea? Tinfoil hat wearer I'm not, I just have issues with other people's ethics (Such as the dick who did this to a friend some months ago)

    Nice Troll

  • Joris (unregistered) in reply to Brad

    Total number of key presses is 10¨4 + 3 = 10003 (length of the De Bruijn sequence B(10,4))...

  • (cs)

    TRWTF is that these devices are used at all.

    What's wrong with the access control system called "give a copy of the key to the realtor, and they keep it at their office when they're not showing the property"?

  • Keith Brawner (unregistered) in reply to Anonymous
    Anonymous:
    MichaelM:
    Want to break into a house? Pretend you're interested, take a tour and leave a window unlocked.
    Or just put a brick through it like everyone else. But considering this was in the context of real-estate, why the hell would you want to break into an EMPTY house anyways?

    I purchased a home recently, and I can say that 2 of the ~50 homes I toured were empty. More common than empty homes were homes with the people at home watching TV. Most homes still contained major appliances and other valuables(big screen TV, personal PC, video game systems, jewelry, etc.). In several cases, the only thing preventing someone from walking off with a fistful of gold was honesty.

    Of course, the weakest link point still stands. You can learn lockpicking on your iPhone from the back door (typically not secure-locked) quicker than you can brute-force the entry code.

  • Ultimate Security Through Obscurity (unregistered)

    One brand of mechanical pushbutton lock I have encountered has the "any order" flaw combined with a "5 digit code always contains 678" flaw, leading to a really easy brute-force.

    I'd never use this for evil but I have real trouble restraining myself from trying out of curiosity.

  • Joris (unregistered) in reply to Joris

    This should be it:

    0000100020003000400050006000700080009001 1001200130014001500160017001800190021002 2002300240025002600270028002900310032003 3003400350036003700380039004100420043004 4004500460047004800490051005200530054005 5005600570058005900610062006300640065006 6006700680069007100720073007400750076007 7007800790081008200830084008500860087008 8008900910092009300940095009600970098009 9010102010301040105010601070108010901110 1120113011401150116011701180119012101220 1230124012501260127012801290131013201330 1340135013601370138013901410142014301440 1450146014701480149015101520153015401550 1560157015801590161016201630164016501660 1670168016901710172017301740175017601770 1780179018101820183018401850186018701880 1890191019201930194019501960197019801990 2020302040205020602070208020902110212021 3021402150216021702180219022102220223022 4022502260227022802290231023202330234023 5023602370238023902410242024302440245024 6024702480249025102520253025402550256025 7025802590261026202630264026502660267026 8026902710272027302740275027602770278027 9028102820283028402850286028702880289029 1029202930294029502960297029802990303040 3050306030703080309031103120313031403150 3160317031803190321032203230324032503260 3270328032903310332033303340335033603370 3380339034103420343034403450346034703480 3490351035203530354035503560357035803590 3610362036303640365036603670368036903710 3720373037403750376037703780379038103820 3830384038503860387038803890391039203930 3940395039603970398039904040504060407040 8040904110412041304140415041604170418041 9042104220423042404250426042704280429043 1043204330434043504360437043804390441044 2044304440445044604470448044904510452045 3045404550456045704580459046104620463046 4046504660467046804690471047204730474047 5047604770478047904810482048304840485048 6048704880489049104920493049404950496049 7049804990505060507050805090511051205130 5140515051605170518051905210522052305240 5250526052705280529053105320533053405350 5360537053805390541054205430544054505460 5470548054905510552055305540555055605570 5580559056105620563056405650566056705680 5690571057205730574057505760577057805790 5810582058305840585058605870588058905910 5920593059405950596059705980599060607060 8060906110612061306140615061606170618061 9062106220623062406250626062706280629063 1063206330634063506360637063806390641064 2064306440645064606470648064906510652065 3065406550656065706580659066106620663066 4066506660667066806690671067206730674067 5067606770678067906810682068306840685068 6068706880689069106920693069406950696069 7069806990707080709071107120713071407150 7160717071807190721072207230724072507260 7270728072907310732073307340735073607370 7380739074107420743074407450746074707480 7490751075207530754075507560757075807590 7610762076307640765076607670768076907710 7720773077407750776077707780779078107820 7830784078507860787078807890791079207930 7940795079607970798079908080908110812081 3081408150816081708180819082108220823082 4082508260827082808290831083208330834083 5083608370838083908410842084308440845084 6084708480849085108520853085408550856085 7085808590861086208630864086508660867086 8086908710872087308740875087608770878087 9088108820883088408850886088708880889089 1089208930894089508960897089808990909110 9120913091409150916091709180919092109220 9230924092509260927092809290931093209330 9340935093609370938093909410942094309440 9450946094709480949095109520953095409550 9560957095809590961096209630964096509660 9670968096909710972097309740975097609770 9780979098109820983098409850986098709880 9890991099209930994099509960997099809991 1112111311141115111611171118111911221123 1124112511261127112811291132113311341135 1136113711381139114211431144114511461147 1148114911521153115411551156115711581159 1162116311641165116611671168116911721173 1174117511761177117811791182118311841185 1186118711881189119211931194119511961197 1198119912121312141215121612171218121912 2212231224122512261227122812291232123312 3412351236123712381239124212431244124512 4612471248124912521253125412551256125712 5812591262126312641265126612671268126912 7212731274127512761277127812791282128312 8412851286128712881289129212931294129512 9612971298129913131413151316131713181319 1322132313241325132613271328132913321333 1334133513361337133813391342134313441345 1346134713481349135213531354135513561357 1358135913621363136413651366136713681369 1372137313741375137613771378137913821383 1384138513861387138813891392139313941395 1396139713981399141415141614171418141914 2214231424142514261427142814291432143314 3414351436143714381439144214431444144514 4614471448144914521453145414551456145714 5814591462146314641465146614671468146914 7214731474147514761477147814791482148314 8414851486148714881489149214931494149514 9614971498149915151615171518151915221523 1524152515261527152815291532153315341535 1536153715381539154215431544154515461547 1548154915521553155415551556155715581559 1562156315641565156615671568156915721573 1574157515761577157815791582158315841585 1586158715881589159215931594159515961597 1598159916161716181619162216231624162516 2616271628162916321633163416351636163716 3816391642164316441645164616471648164916 5216531654165516561657165816591662166316 6416651666166716681669167216731674167516 7616771678167916821683168416851686168716 8816891692169316941695169616971698169917 1718171917221723172417251726172717281729 1732173317341735173617371738173917421743 1744174517461747174817491752175317541755 1756175717581759176217631764176517661767 1768176917721773177417751776177717781779 1782178317841785178617871788178917921793 1794179517961797179817991818191822182318 2418251826182718281829183218331834183518 3618371838183918421843184418451846184718 4818491852185318541855185618571858185918 6218631864186518661867186818691872187318 7418751876187718781879188218831884188518 8618871888188918921893189418951896189718 9818991919221923192419251926192719281929 1932193319341935193619371938193919421943 1944194519461947194819491952195319541955 1956195719581959196219631964196519661967 1968196919721973197419751976197719781979 1982198319841985198619871988198919921993 1994199519961997199819992222322242225222 6222722282229223322342235223622372238223 9224322442245224622472248224922532254225 5225622572258225922632264226522662267226 8226922732274227522762277227822792283228 4228522862287228822892293229422952296229 7229822992323242325232623272328232923332 3342335233623372338233923432344234523462 3472348234923532354235523562357235823592 3632364236523662367236823692373237423752 3762377237823792383238423852386238723882 3892393239423952396239723982399242425242 6242724282429243324342435243624372438243 9244324442445244624472448244924532454245 5245624572458245924632464246524662467246 8246924732474247524762477247824792483248 4248524862487248824892493249424952496249 7249824992525262527252825292533253425352 5362537253825392543254425452546254725482 5492553255425552556255725582559256325642 5652566256725682569257325742575257625772 5782579258325842585258625872588258925932 5942595259625972598259926262726282629263 3263426352636263726382639264326442645264 6264726482649265326542655265626572658265 9266326642665266626672668266926732674267 5267626772678267926832684268526862687268 8268926932694269526962697269826992727282 7292733273427352736273727382739274327442 7452746274727482749275327542755275627572 7582759276327642765276627672768276927732 7742775277627772778277927832784278527862 7872788278927932794279527962797279827992 8282928332834283528362837283828392843284 4284528462847284828492853285428552856285 7285828592863286428652866286728682869287 3287428752876287728782879288328842885288 6288728882889289328942895289628972898289 9292933293429352936293729382939294329442 9452946294729482949295329542955295629572 9582959296329642965296629672968296929732 9742975297629772978297929832984298529862 9872988298929932994299529962997299829993 3334333533363337333833393344334533463347 3348334933543355335633573358335933643365 3366336733683369337433753376337733783379 3384338533863387338833893394339533963397 3398339934343534363437343834393444344534 4634473448344934543455345634573458345934 6434653466346734683469347434753476347734 7834793484348534863487348834893494349534 9634973498349935353635373538353935443545 3546354735483549355435553556355735583559 3564356535663567356835693574357535763577 3578357935843585358635873588358935943595 3596359735983599363637363836393644364536 4636473648364936543655365636573658365936 6436653666366736683669367436753676367736 7836793684368536863687368836893694369536 9636973698369937373837393744374537463747 3748374937543755375637573758375937643765 3766376737683769377437753776377737783779 3784378537863787378837893794379537963797 3798379938383938443845384638473848384938 5438553856385738583859386438653866386738 6838693874387538763877387838793884388538 8638873888388938943895389638973898389939 3944394539463947394839493954395539563957 3958395939643965396639673968396939743975 3976397739783979398439853986398739883989 3994399539963997399839994444544464447444 8444944554456445744584459446544664467446 8446944754476447744784479448544864487448 8448944954496449744984499454546454745484 5494555455645574558455945654566456745684 5694575457645774578457945854586458745884 5894595459645974598459946464746484649465 5465646574658465946654666466746684669467 5467646774678467946854686468746884689469 5469646974698469947474847494755475647574 7584759476547664767476847694775477647774 7784779478547864787478847894795479647974 7984799484849485548564857485848594865486 6486748684869487548764877487848794885488 6488748884889489548964897489848994949554 9564957495849594965496649674968496949754 9764977497849794985498649874988498949954 9964997499849995555655575558555955665567 5568556955765577557855795586558755885589 5596559755985599565657565856595666566756 6856695676567756785679568656875688568956 9656975698569957575857595766576757685769 5776577757785779578657875788578957965797 5798579958585958665867586858695876587758 7858795886588758885889589658975898589959 5966596759685969597659775978597959865987 5988598959965997599859996666766686669667 7667866796687668866896697669866996767686 7696777677867796787678867896797679867996 8686968776878687968876888688968976898689 9696977697869796987698869896997699869997 7778777977887789779877997878797888788978 9878997979887989799879998888988998989999 000

  • Mahall (unregistered) in reply to Anonymous
    Anonymous:
    TheKoz:
    that being said, with the traditional push buttons, the realtor's phone number or the house address are common codes =o(
    The thing with those push button types, even if they've got metal buttons they still tend to wear very slightly with use. So after a while, four out of the ten buttons start to look worn and obviously used. Clearly the combination is made up of these four numbers so you can easily brute force it from this indication. I've used this trick seeveral times (never to break into houses but same principle).

    You can even break into a new one pretty easily - because the mechanism is pretty cheap, and the stresses are uneven, your can apply tension (by pushing down on the 'open' button) and feel which pin is next.

    I figured this out just by playing with one that was lying around for about 15 minutes, and after that, it took me just a couple of minutes to open any other one I came across. Strictly in the spirit of inquiry, of course.

    People trusting their house keys to these cheap lock boxes is TRWTF.

  • Mike (unregistered)

    Yeah, lockboxes aren't very secure. When I was shopping for my home, my real estate agent couldn't open the lock boxes because her nails were too long, so she asked me to open them for her. I quickly realized that all the lockboxes in the city had the same combination.

  • Robert Hanson (unregistered)

    I worked as a consultant at an office that had a lock like this, requiring 3 digits. They were broken into, so they changed the combo. I had to come in on Saturday, and forgot the combo. So I tried 1-2-3 (try); 1-2-4 (try) ... It took about 5 minutes to open the door. Since it was Saturday, there was no one wandering the halls. I could have broken into any other office on the floor in the same 5 minutes.

    These locks provide a sense of security, not actual security.

  • D Mann (unregistered) in reply to Anon Ymous

    Yes, they are for convenience not security. The father in-law has a realty license and does the occasional transaction. The boxes around here have a wheel with letters on it. The combination is usually S-A-L-E and we confirmed this was the case about 80% of the time when he was arranging showings for us.

  • Les (unregistered) in reply to Keith Brawner

    The occupant is expecting visitors escorted by an agent. The occupant then often secures those valuables that are easy to make off with.

  • Iie (unregistered)

    That particular model lock box is super easy to open! Did this myself while I was a kid when I lost my key and my parents were selling the house.

    Just put pressure on the release latch and gently prod each of the buttons. The buttons that are loose are not part of the combination. The others are, and it's not so much a sequence of numbers as it's a set of toggles. Release the latch, push all "stiff" buttons, push no "loose" buttons, and the latch will simply open.

  • Dary (unregistered)

    I must break you.

  • Ike (unregistered)

    1234? That's the same combination as my luggage!

Leave a comment on “The Key Lock Box”

Log In or post as a guest

Replying to comment #:

« Return to Article