Lock and Security Guides
Buying guides and deep explainers on locks, door hardware, standards, and physical security.
Buying GuidesPadlock Body Widths Explained: Matching Lock Size to the Job
A padlock is only as good as the weakest thing it touches, so start with where it lives.
Vulnerabilities & Attack MethodsRelay Attacks on Wireless Access Systems and Documented Defenses
A relay attack does not break the encryption on a wireless credential. It extends the radio link so the lock believes your key is close by. Here is wh
Buying GuidesHow to Choose a Combination Padlock You Will Not Get Locked Out Of
A padlock is only as good as the weakest thing it touches, so start with where it lives.
Security Standards & RatingsSecurity Ratings for Padlocks: CEN Grades and ASTM Testing
European and North American padlock standards grade security, durability, and corrosion separately, and both warn that laboratory attacks are simulati
Buying GuidesKeyed Padlocks for Gates, Sheds, and Storage: A Buyer's Guide
A padlock is only as good as the weakest thing it touches, so start with where it lives.
Security Standards & RatingsImpact and Forced Entry Standards for Exterior Doors
Forced entry standards test the whole door assembly, not the lock by itself. Here is how the test sequences work, why hurricane impact ratings answer
Vulnerabilities & Attack MethodsBypass Attacks That Ignore the Lock Entirely
A bypass does not defeat the cylinder. It reaches the mechanism the cylinder was protecting, or the person inside who can open the door. Here is how t
Home Security StrategyPatio, Garage, and Side Doors: The Overlooked Perimeter
The garage is an enclosed space with no sightlines and a full set of tools inside, and the door from it into the house is often the weakest in the hom
Commercial & Multi-Family HardwareVestibules, Mantraps, and Entry Sequencing in Commercial Design
Interlocked door pairs solve one narrow problem: people entering on someone else's credential. Before buying a security vestibule, it helps to underst
Vulnerabilities & Attack MethodsDefault Credentials and Setup Failures in Connected Locks
Universal default passwords were common enough in consumer devices that two governments legislated against them. For a connected lock, the account lay
Commercial & Multi-Family HardwareLandlord Legal Obligations for Locks and Tenant Security
Lock obligations in rental housing come from habitability doctrine, specific state statutes, and lease terms, and they vary enormously by state. Here
Security Standards & RatingsANSI/BHMA Grade 1, 2, and 3: What the Testing Actually Measures
Grade 1 is not a marketing adjective. It is the top tier of a graded test battery covering cycles, strength, security, materials, and finish, and know