Gone are the days of carrying bunch of keys for opening doors. Gone are the days of keeping separate keys for separate locks. Now you would be able to unlock all the doors and cases without the help of any key. The idea is not new and has been in use for quite some time but slowly and steadily it is becoming popular and coming in people’s eye. Right! We are talking about biometric door locks.

Biometric locks provide an entirely new level of interface with extreme ease & security. The most noticeable benefit is getting rid of carrying cumbersome keys. It also mitigates a range of problems associated with PIN, standard key, RFID, magnetic stripe cards, etc., while providing new levels of ease. Biometric door locks identify the authorized people on the basis of their biometric properties, already fed earlier into the system. The unique biometric characteristics of individuals allow only correct users to enter the system.

For quite some time the use of biometric access systems, particularly biometric door locks have been plagued by two flaws. First one has been the high cost of these devices in order to achieve accurate performance that put them out of the general consumer range. The second problem has been the visual design characteristics. But in recent years biometric device manufacturers have been able to sort out both these flaws. You can now find a range of biometric access devices in the market at an affordable rate.

Types of Biometric Technology

A number of identification technologies have been used by the biometric door locks manufacturers, such as fingerprint recognition technology, face recognition technology, voice recognition technology, iris recognition technology, etc. Each of these technologies work on some type of unique and individual biometric properties that we inherit. In this way one can’t copy or duplicate one’s unique identification like the password and access card, ultimately enhancing the security.

Unlocking Doors with Eyes

Now open doors with your eyes! You might have seen it many times in sci-fi movies. But the fiction has been changed to reality. Researchers from Queensland University of Technology’s faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, has achieved sorting out one of the final obstacles to the everyday application of iris scanning technology. Already being used, this technology will become the part of our daily life in coming decade.

Like fingerprint every individual iris is unique and even the iris pattern of the left and right eye of the same person differs from each other. The iris pattern is fixed throughout a person’s lifetime. Iris recognition confirms the identity of a person based on who the person is instead of what the person possesses, such as an ID card or password.

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You may have seen recent reports on television news or in the newspapers of a weakness in the locks on PVCu doors. The weakness is currently being exploited by burglars in some areas of the UK, notably the West Yorkshire Police area. To our knowledge, such attacks are not yet common place in the Hampshire, West Sussex and Dorset areas.

This is a problem which is growing around the country; various methods are used by the burglars using simple everyday tools, allowing them to exploit an inherent flaw in the design of these Euro Profile Cylinders. The cylinders can be overcome in a matter of seconds and although we know the methods used we will not disclose these methods in any detail, as a precaution against “copy-cat” burglaries.

The lock in question is not of any particular make, but is the type of lock fitted to the majority of UPVC, PVCu and some wooden doors throughout the world, it is commonly known as a Euro Profile Cylinder. It is the part which provides the key operation to the multi-point locking mechanism fitted to the door. No matter how secure or elaborate the multi-point locking mechanism is, if the cylinder is compromised the multi-point lock can be opened in seconds without difficulty.

All major Lock Manufacturers are now working hard to find solutions to the problem.

Currently there are limited products on the market to combat this form of attack. Two major lock manufacturers notably Mul-T-Lock and Squire have produced a new design of cylinder which ensures the cylinder snaps at a predetermined position leaving the door still secured and requiring the use of the correct key to unlock the door. Mul-T-Locks range of anti snapping cylinders are called ?Break Secure’ and Squire’s range are called ?Snapsafe’

Although this design of cylinder is still not 100% guaranteed to prevent all the methods of attack used on PVCu doors. It will prevent the most common methods slowing down the burglars attempts and making it considerably more difficult, therefore increasing the chance of him giving up.

In addition to these cylinders some manufacturers notably Squire and ERA are producing cylinder enhancers or cylinder security devices. Various designs are available to suit PVCu and composite doors these consist of a metal surround which is secured to the existing cylinder underneath the door handle. ERA’s range is possibly the most secure, with the designs securing through the door to sandwich the cylinder in place making it virtually impossible to remove the ?snapped’ cylinder. These devices used in conjunction with a Break Secure or SnapSafe cylinder will ensure the methods currently being used are ineffective.

The risk of forced entry via the methods used is reduced if the cylinder fitted is of the correct size and properly fitted. However often when cylinders have been replaced in the past it is found that an incorrect size has been used leaving the door vulnerable. It is recommended that the euro profile cylinder should not protrude outside of the door furniture any more than 2-3mm.

Remember burglars always choose the easy option!

In order to ensure you do not become one of the many victims of this type of forced entry review your current door cylinders now and consider upgrading your cylinders to the newly available ?Break Secure’ or SnapSafe ranges currently available or fit an additional Cylinder Security Device or Enhancer to your existing cylinder.

In the meantime, ensure you DEADLOCK your doors whenever your home is unattended. We also advise that a door chain be fitted and used on the main entrance door when the house is occupied and if PVCu doors are fitted to other areas consider fitting additional internal secondary bolts as an alternative to replacing the cylinders.

Other sensible precautions include ensuring that any keys (particularly car keys) are not left where they can be found by burglars. (The most common method of car theft is by breaking into homes and stealing the keys). Other portable valuables should also be removed from vulnerable areas.

A safe will compliment any form of security to the property by reducing the risk of sentimental and valuable items being taken should a burglar gain entry. Securing small valuables can save a great deal of inconvenience and upset and it is recommended that you keep spare keys, passports, jewellery, cameras etc. locked in a safe.

For guidance and advice from reputable qualified locksmith’s only choose a locksmith that is a member of the Master Locksmith Association whose members would be pleased to offer advice and guidance, without obligation on any aspects of your properties physical security.

By using an MLA approved company you are assured that the locksmith you employ is of the highest standard of Integrity and that the work undertaken will be carried out to very high standards. All Master Locksmiths have undertaken and passed an independently assessed BLI examination to ensure they are qualified and competent to carry out all aspects of the Locksmith trade. And every Approved Company undergoes stringent, regular inspections, thus ensuring that it maintains high standards in workmanship and administration. Additionally members are expected to conform to legal requirements and follow a customer charter to service customer satisfaction.

The Master Locksmith Association has a freephone call line allowing people to locate and authenticate locksmiths claiming to be members. Tel: 0800 783 1498 or visit their website @ http://www.locksmiths.co.uk

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There have been a number of reports in the press and on television recently about a weakness in the locks on UPVC doors. In some areas of the UK, notably West Yorkshire, Police are reporting that this weakness is clearly being exploited by thieves.

This is a growing problem throughout the country. No special tools are needed and a burglar can break these Euro Profile Cylinders in a matter of seconds and although we know the methods used, we will not disclose them in any detail, as a precaution against “copy-cat” burglaries.

This type of lock is commonly known as a Euro Profile Cylinder and is used worldwide on uPVC, PVCu, aluminium and some wooden doors. However secure or elaborate the multi-point locking mechanism is, it is the cylinder that is the vulnerable area. The cylinder is the part which allows key operation. If the cylinder is broken, the multi-point lock can be easily opened in no time at all.

All major Lock Manufacturers are working hard to find solutions to the problem.

At the moment, only two of the major lock manufacturers have come up with a viable a solution. Both Squire and Mul-T-Lock have designed a cylinder that still snaps, but it does so at a predetermined position which leaves the door secure. Mul-T-Lock have called their cylinders ?Break Secure’ and Squire’s range is called ?Snapsafe’

Although these new cylinders are not guaranteed against all methods of attack on uPVC doors, they act as a deterrent by making it much more difficult for burglars to gain access.

Some lock manufacturers, such as Squire and ERA, are approaching the problem by offering cylinder security devices or cylinder enhancers. These metal surrounds are secured to the existing cylinder underneath the door handle. ERA’s solution is particularly beneficial as it sandwiches the door and the cylinder in place, making it almost impossible to remove the broken cylinder.

Using these cylinder enhancers together with a Break Secure or SnapSafe cylinder probably is the most effective solution currently available.

To further reduce the possibility of forced entry, it is also of the utmost importance to ensure that a cylinder is the correct size and properly fitted.

A Euro Profile Cylinder should only protrude 2-3mm beyond the door furniture. Often, when cylinders have been replaced, the wrong size replacement has been used and this makes the door even more vulnerable.

It is a well known fact that burglars will always choose the easiest option!

To avoid becoming a victim of this type of forced entry, check all door cylinders and, if necessary, upgrade to ?Break Secure’ or ?SnapSafe’ ranges.

Always deadlock doors whenever a house is empty, and fit a door chain to the main door to use when you are at home. As an alternative to replacing the cylinders, consider fitting secondary bolts to uPVC doors in other parts of the house.

The most common method of car theft is when burglars break into houses and steal the keys, so make sure that any keys (particularly car keys) are hidden. Other easily removed valuables, such as jewellery, should not be left in exposed areas.

A safe is a useful addition to other methods of security and an ideal place to keep spare keys, passports, jewellery, cameras etc. These items are often not just financially valuable but have a great sentimental value which is irreplaceable.

For advice on all aspects of physical security, contact a reputable locksmith. If a locksmith belongs to the MLA (Master Locksmith Association), he has to have undertaken and passed an independently assessed BLI examination. Every approved Company has to undergo stringent, regular inspections to ensure that these high standards of workmanship and administration are maintained. As well, all MLA members conform to legal requirements and follow a customer charter which means that they are qualified and competent to carry out all aspects of the Locksmith trade.

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have lost the key to my back door? how can open the door with out calling paying a locksmith?

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Simply put, the biometric lock provides a new level of ease and security for anyone who uses a door. With the mere scan of a finger, the pre-authorised individual has instant access to a property. A biometric electronic access control doorlock removes the necessity to carry cumbersome keys, and alleviates door users from the various problems associated with standard key, PIN, RFID and magnetic-stripe card access systems, whilst providing a new level of operating ease.

For too long the biometric access device has traditionally been plagued by two flaws that have been quite insurmountable. One has been the high level of cost in order to attain an accurate performance, putting the technology well out of the league of the consumer marketplace (or alternatively, giving an inferior level of accuracy and usability within an affordable price range); the second common flaw is the visual design characteristics of such devices, that have regrettably made the term “biometric” somewhat synonymous with the word “ugly”. Nordic Biometric consigns both of these problems to history with the inception of its new biometric products.

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There are various types of security door locks that are available in todays markets, both on the internet and in security stores. Because everyone has different security needs, they are designed to fit a wide range of budgets, needs and wants. The types of Security Door locks found in the market range from simple deadbolts and chain and ball locks that can be found in almost every home, to locks that use technological advances that were unimaginable a few years ago.

Some of these include and are not limited to locks that use biometric information, such as fingerprint matching pads. Here, the users? fingerprints are in the security system and for access to be granted, one needs to place their fingers on the finerprint pad to verify their identity. Another kind is digital locks that have keypads where the user needs to key in a security code into the keypad for access to be granted.

Various security concerns will influence the decision you make. This can be aided by research conducted on the internet, and added to that, when you go into the stores, you will find that there are experts in this field on hand to advise you and help make a decision. Having the locks is not enough. As the owner of these locks, you will need to understand and know how the different mechanisms of the locks work, how to install them and how to uninstall them, advantages and disadvantages of the locks you choose and also what the word on the street is regarding intruders and the ease with which they work on the various locks.

With increased insecurity, your first concern is the safety of your family?s security or that of your business venture, and so you have to find ways and means of protecting what you hold dearest to you at whatever cost.

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Fingerprint door locks are just another example of how our society has evolved into the technological era so quickly. These kinds of locks are great for protecting your office, building, or even your home. But before purchasing any, you probably have similar questions as many others do.

1. Are they affordable?

Because of how technological these locks are, a common question is how expensive they are. A few years ago you would only find fingerprint door locks at CEO?s homes and celebrity homes because of the outrageous prices. That has completely changed now though. Any home can find an affordable lock and have it installed for a reasonable price.

2. How do you open the door?

Every fingerprint door lock is different, but a majority of them have three ways you can go about opening the door: mechanical key override, keypad-code, and fingerprint reader. The fingerprint reader is the most common one for households because of the many uses it will receive. The keypad is best for houses and offices that will have a one time entrance from visitors. And lastly, the mechanical key override is for in case of an emergency or dead battery.

3. How reliable are they?

A few years ago, they were just getting tested out and were truly not that reliable for the amount people were paying for them. However, a lot has been learned over the past few years and now they are extremely reliable. You would be surprised at how they never jam up, almost always open on the first finger scan, and the battery generally lasts an entire year.

4. How secure are they?

Fingerprint door locks give you added security when compared to the typical padlock or deadbolt. With these locks, there is a specialized key override as oppose to a key slot. This makes it impossible to pick the lock, which eliminates burglars from entering your home through the doors.

5. How many fingerprints can the lock hold?

This is often a concern among households who want their kids to be able to get in. And amazingly, a fingerprint door lock can hold at least 75 fingerprints. The installation is quick and easy, and generally requires admin fingerprints to be entered in first. Only the admin fingerprints can add or delete fingerprints in the future.

Getting fingerprint door locks for your home, office, or building is a good idea. It can increase the safety of your home and free you of losing your keys all the time. And with technology continuing to advance, they have become affordable and extremely reliable.

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Back in the past, you needed to buy a luxury car in order to have one of those handy power door locks on your car. Everyone else was stuck with the ordinary door locks – the kind requiring you to have your key handy every time you want to unlock your vehicle. These days, however, everyone seems to own one. You see people all over, pushing their keypad to open their specific car parked somewhere in a parking lot full of cars. Hardly anyone with a newer vehicle has to suffer the extra effort of actually using their car keys to unlock their vehicle or push the door locked when they leave their car anymore.

Believe it or not, power door locks have been around for nearly a half century. This feature was initially used on a particular kind of luxury Packard. It took a number of years until this convenient feature was gradually introduced and used as a standard feature on luxury vehicles everywhere. Now, you needn’t buy a luxury car to have a power door lock as on option on your automobile.

While it’s easy to get out of the habit, you still can open and lock your door the regular way. Regular door locks are installed on every vehicle and your key still works in the lock provided on the outside of the vehicle. You may never need them but, if the battery on the remote keypad goes bad, at least you have a backup method of getting into your car.

This optional feature has some major advantages over the regular method of opening your car. For example, it’s very easy to use and you can have your arms full while still being able to open your vehicle without digging for your keys, trying to get into your car without dropping something. With this power feature, all you need to do is push the remote keypad, grab the handle and open your car door.

Another helpful thing about remote power door locks is that the remote often opens all the doors to the car at the same time. That way, if you have children, they can get themselves into the car without you having to unlock another door to let them in. In addition, if you’re putting your groceries onto the passenger seat, the door is already open for you to throw them in and hop into the driver’s side without messing with locks and keys.

There are actually two types of systems available in remotely-operated power door locks. If you have the more complex system, there will be a body controller in the automobile that monitors a specific radio frequency; when you send the correct code to the controller, it unlocks the car door. If you own the simpler system, you send a signal to actuators in the vehicle which lock or unlock the car door. There are lots of these kinds of locks available and many different companies manufacture them. If you don’t own one but want one installed after purchasing your vehicle, it takes only a couple of hours and can be installed in almost any car. The costs of such a system depend on the type of system you acquire.

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Is there something I can use which does not require a lot of hole drilling? I really don’t need the lock for optimum security, just enough to keep nosey roommates at bay. They wouldn’t go so far as to bypass a lock. Most likely I’ll just use it for the closet doors where I’ll keep personal papers etc. The lock will be for folding closet doors that open out, or a regular closet door that you pushes close with a turn knob. Thanks.

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I recently had someone pick the lock on my front door and actually get in. I was home, and when they realized I was, they left; I’m terrified now. I know I can get a deadbolt that only locks from the inside and there’s no access to it from the outside, so it’s only effective when I’m home. What would be the best kind of lock that I can open from the outside as well? Thanks so much for any advice!

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