Presentation Title: High Security Locks - Illusion or Reality?
Presentation Details:

In the United States, two standards organizations rate cylinders for their ability to withstand forced and covert attack and certify these locks as suitable for high security installations. Yet, are the standards what they represent and are consumers really secure if they rely upon them, especially if high value targets are involved?

Many high security lock manufacturers claim that their cylinders will be impervious to covert methods of entry, including picking and bumping, and offer high levels of key control, effectively preventing the illegal or unauthorized duplication of their keys.

Marc will present a number of case examples where there is a basic failure of imagination on the part of design engineers to properly assess the security of the products that they manufacture. When this occurs in high security cylinders it can expose facilities to serious vulnerabilities.

It is important for security professionals to understand the impact of high security standards and the reality of real world attacks. In this presentation, Marc Weber Tobias offers a detailed analysis of how the locks of one of the most respected manufacturers in the United States were compromised by him and his associates. These cylinders are utilized to protect the most secure areas of commerce and government, not only in America but also in many other countries.

Even though many manufacturers continue claim publicly that their products are impervious to attack from certain methods of covert entry, security managers need to have the information to make an informed judgment as to what constitutes security and what does not from the legal, technical and investigative standpoints. Marc will demonstrate certain vulnerabilities in several high security locks that may cause those responsible for facility security to reanalyze their potential risks.

About Marc

Marc Weber Tobias is an investigative attorney and security specialist living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He represents and consults with lock manufacturers, government agencies and corporations in the U.S. and overseas regarding the design and bypass of locks and security systems. He has authored five police textbooks, including Locks, Safes, and Security, which is recognized as the primary reference for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide. The second edition, a 1400 page two-volume work, is utilized by criminal investigators, crime labs, locksmiths and those responsible for physical security. A ten-volume multimedia edition of his book is also available online. His website is security.org, Marc is a member of a number of professional security organizations, including the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), Association of Firearms and Tool Marks Examiners (AFTE), American Polygraph Association (APA) and American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP).

Marc was Chief of the Organized Crime Unit, Office of Attorney General in the State of South Dakota, and as such directed many criminal investigations. He also worked special investigations for the Office of Governor, State of South Dakota for sixteen years, and was responsible for conducting internal inquiries for the executive branch of government
and for the state prison system.

Marc has lectured extensively in the United States and Europe on physical security and certain aspects of criminal investigations and interrogation technique. He holds several patents involving the bypass of locks and security systems. Marc contributes a column to engadget.com and has been featured in many publications as well as radio and television stories around the world.