Tobias on Locks and Insecurity Engineering

Understanding and Preventing Design Vulnerabilities in Locks, Safes, and Security Hardware: 1st Edition

You can watch my interview with Marc Tobias at the bottom of this page

I first encountered Marc after he and his colleague Tobias Bluzmanis released their groundbreaking book 'Open in 30 Seconds' in 2008. That incredible book was the product of an eighteen month deep-dive into the Medeco Biaxial M3 lock, then considered one of the United States' most secure locks, and installed in The White House, The Pentagon, The British Royal Family and hundreds of thousands of other institutions such as hospitals, banks, server rooms, government facilities, etc. 

Through their investigation, they filed many patents and developed ways to bump, pick, and bypass the Medeco Biaxial M3 in seconds. We had to meet!

With us both being globe-trotting figures on the lock picking scene, we were passing like ships in the night, but finally decided to have a meeting online, by which time Marc had written this new book, 'Tobias on Locks and Insecurity Engineering: Understanding and Preventing Design Vulnerabilities in Locks, Safes, and Security Hardware'

It was a cracking conversation, and you can watch it if you scroll down this page.

During the conversation, we discuss many things, but focus mainly on this new book, which is a must-read exploration of lock and physical security from a renowned author and expert - a real Lock Picking Legend. Marc's bio speaks for itself and you'll hear it in the video.

In Tobias on Locks and Insecurity Engineering, Marc, a renowned investigative attorney and physical security expert delivers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of how locks are designed, built, and - ultimately - defeated by criminals, spies, hackers, and even lockpickers. In the book, you'll discover the myriad ways that security experts and bad actors have compromised physical locks using everything from the newest 3D printers to 99-cent ballpoint pens.

The book explores the origins of different lock designs and the mistakes that design engineers make when they create new locks. It explains the countless ways that locks remain at risk for attack.

The author explains the latest lock designs and technology, as well as how to assess whether a specific solution will work for you depending on your individual security requirements and use case. You'll also find:

• Ways to differentiate between fatally flawed locks and solid, secure options
• Several relevant and real-world case examples of catastrophic lock design failures that led to monetary loss, property damage, or bodily harm
• Examinations of lock security from the perspectives of forced entry, covert entry, and key-control

An instructive and indispensable roadmap to locks and physical security, Tobias on Locks and Insecurity Engineering is the perfect guide for security and information technology professionals, design engineers, risk managers, law enforcement personnel, intelligence agents, regulators, policymakers, investigators, lawyers, red teams, penetration testers, and more.

If you're making your mind up about purchasing this wealth of knowledge, I suggest watching the video. You'll see Marc's manner, his approach to talking about the subject and his incredible knowledge on the subject. In fact, I think Marc is probably the most knowledgeable and skilled person on the planet when it comes to picking locks.

An interesting man who really takes the lock manufacturers to task in this incredible book that anyone who wishes to take their lock picking to the next level must have.

Thorough, entertaining, surprising, rigorous, Marc's new book will act as a reference book you'll go back to time and time again

I wrote a short blog about so-called 'unpickable locks' which mention Marc's book 'Open in 30 Seconds' HERE,

WATCH MY CONVERSATION with Marc Tobias here: