About Lock Bumping

The History of “Lock Bumping”

A US patent first appears in 1928 by H.R. Simpson called a 'rapping' or bump-key, In the 1970s, locksmiths in Denmark shared a technique for knocking on a lock cylinder while applying slight pressure to the back of the lock plug. When the pins would jump inside of the cylinder, the plug would be able to slide out freely, thus enabling the locksmith to disassemble the lock quickly.  The use of a bump key was not introduced until some time later and was first recognized as a potential security problem around 2002–2003 by Klaus Noch who brought it to the attention of the German media.  After further examination of the procedure, a white paper was drafted in 2005 by Barry Wels & Rop Gonggrijp of The Open Organization Of Lockpickers (TOOOL) detailing the method and its applicability.  A patent exists for a lock device following the same principle as the bump key from 1926–1928.

Lock bumping can open 90+% of American homes which use an old style cylinder lock which is vulnerable to lock bumping key.
Your home’s door lock can even be bumped by a 10 year old child.
Anyone can make bump keys in 5 minutes or less.
When a lock bumping key is used to break into your house then there is no signs of forced entry or damage to the lock. This makes the insurance companies very weary in paying for the claim. You could loose everything and not get compensated because of a lock bumping key.
With the digital underworld abuzz about this new home security threat, safety experts say it's time to protect yourself against lock bumping and bump keys.

When the correct key is inserted, the gaps between the key pins (red) and driver pins (blue) align with the edge of the plug, called the shear line (yellow).
A pin tumbler lock is composed of a series of spring-loaded stacks called pin stacks. Each pin stack is composed of two pins that are stacked on top of each other: the key pin, which touches the key when it is inserted, and the driver pin, which is spring driven. When the proper key is inserted into the lock, all of the key pins and driver pins align along the "shear line," allowing the cylinder to turn. Lock Bumping Timeline

• Lock Bumping was developed within the last 50 years.
• A patent exists for a device using a similar principle as a bump key from the 1920's.
• It is accepted by some that this technique was brought 'back to life' by Danish locksmiths in the 1970's.
• These locksmiths reported that they could make pin tumblers in a lock 'jump' up causing the lock to open.
• It was only recently, in 2005, when a Nova news reportblew the door open on bump keys.
• A different tool with a similar principle of operation is a pick gun.

Countermeasures

High-quality locks may be more vulnerable to bumping unless they employ specific countermeasures. More precise manufacturing tolerances within the cylinder make bumping easier because the mechanical tolerances of the lock are smaller, which means there is less loss of force in other directions and mostly pins move more freely and smoothly. Locks made of hardened steel are more vulnerable because they are less prone to damage during the bumping process that might cause a cheaper lock to jam.

How Common is Lock Bumping?

According to statistics provided by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the Department of Justice, nearly 2/3 of all break-ins occur with no sign of forced entry. Since there is no way to determine the actual method, it would be impossible to know for sure how many break-ins were a result of lock bumping. However, there are steps you can follow to help protect yourself, family and property. Door locks are just one form of security for your home. Consumers can also protect their homes by lighting the entry and perimeter areas, using alarm systems, motion detectors and even the family pet as deterrents to those that would attempt to enter your home.

What is being done to prevent Lock Bumping?

State and federal laws prohibit the distribution of "locksmithing devices" to anyone other than lock manufacturers or others with a recognized legal purpose. Kwikset is working closely with the industry trade association, Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association ("BHMA"), to minimize the risk that such devices can be obtained by individuals for improper purposes. In addition Kwikset offers SmartKey technology and the patented bump-guard feature all designed with high-security in mind.