Note to bicyclists: Kryptonite locks have been hacked

[swag]

http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1095422389203670.xml?oregonian?lcps

Kryptonite bike locks unlock easily
Many Portland bike stores stop selling the devices after it's shown that they can be opened quickly with a pen
Friday, September 17, 2004
JOSEPH ROSE

A ballpoint may not be able to stop Superman, but it's all a thief might need to defeat a Kryptonite bike lock.

Earlier this week, word began flying around the Internet that it only takes the end of a pen to open the circular-key locks made famous by the U-shape Kryptonite.

By Thursday, many Portland bicycle shops had stopped selling the locks, which have long been revered by the city's world-famous cycling community.

The news sparked a panic among bicyclists.

"From what we've been told, Kryptonite will be sending out replacements with a flat key hole," said Mike Hilbrandt, assistant manager of the downtown Bike Gallery.

. . . more

[Squeech]

1. It can't be that easy

I used to work at MIT, where some of the world's best engineers learn their trade. The method of choice there was to get those aerosol cans full of air (for boat horns and such) and squirt those into the keyhole, where the release of pressure would lower the temperature to the point where the tempered steel became brittle enough to smash with a sledgehammer. (Lost my own mountain bike that way.) If they could've done it with simpler tools, they certainly would have-- wielding a sledgehammer is too much like actual work!

[Occulus]

4. there's a video on this thread from another board

http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38929

Yes, it really is that easy. Major, major design flaw.

Kryptonite is reportedly making new ones that don't do this, from the article. I think I might call a couple bike shops in the area and let them know...

edit: sorry, that link was to the thread, which is intersting in itself. Here's the video link:

http://thirdrate.com/misc/krypto.mov

[pmbryant]

7. It is. They should have tried a ballpoint pen, apparently.

:shrug:

[Township75]

2. Check out this video....

I can't view it while at work, but it claims to show how easy it is.

http://gadgets.engadget.com/entry/7796925370303347/

[swag]

3. Kryptonite's statement

CANTON, Ma. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 16, 2004 -- For more than 30 years, Kryptonite has focused on delivering innovative advances that establish the benchmark for lock technology, product performance and enhanced security.

In light of recent demonstrations on the Internet that explain how to criminally defeat tubular cylinder lock technology, which has performed successfully for more than three decades, Kryptonite intends to expedite the introduction of its upgraded Evolution and KryptoLok lines. These products will have the disc-style cylinder that has the same technology as the company's famous New York Lock.

Specifically, Kryptonite will provide the owners of Evolution and KryptoLok series products the ability to upgrade their cross bars to the new disc-style cylinder, where possible. This new cylinder provides greatly enhanced security and performance.

Kryptonite is finalizing the details of this upgrade process and will publicly communicate these details as soon as possible.

[Kellanved]

5. huh?

Kryptonite aren't considered especially secure anyway. The local police and the bike shops strongly advise against Kryptonite locks and have done so for years. Ways to open them under one minute have circulated about as long.

[pmbryant]

6. Now it's trivial to break them

I just read an article in the NY Times about this. Apparently new versions (post-2002) of Krptonite and related U-locks can be picked (after some practice) with a ballpoint pen in about 5 seconds. About as long as it takes to open them with a key.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/17/nyregion/17lock.html

Not all such locks are vulnerable, because some are built with more sophistication. Older Kryptonite locks made before 2002 appear to be less susceptible, according to bike shops that have tried to use the technique on them.

But this type of mechanism is used on most of the bicycle locks that are used by millions of people around the country, not just those made by Kryptonite (although the company said yesterday that a new and better model was on the way).

As the news spread, bicycle shops across the nation pulled the locks off their shelves and cyclists left their bikes at home, wondering if anything could keep their wheels safe.