
Perfect Security - js2
http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/perfect-security/
======
ejcx
This article mentions Schuyler Towne at the end.

I've watched Schuyler talk[0][1] at RVASec (a small richmond va security
conference) the last couple years.

If you find locks even almost remotely interesting, Schuyler is the guy who
will talk until you think they are really interesting. He's super passionate
about locks and gives a ton of easily digestable information about them.

[0] -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nROJz_UNQY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nROJz_UNQY)

[1] -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQWPrl_Tao](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQWPrl_Tao)

~~~
fabulist
I concur that Towne is a great speaker on this subject, and would like to add
that he's an HN user.

[https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=emhart](https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=emhart)

I discovered this by reading this comment, and as soon as I read "security
anthropologist", I figured there couldn't be two of those.

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8156030](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8156030)

------
verelo
Its funny watching the video of the lock being picked. I cant help but feel
that if that style of lock was invented today, we would probably complain
rather heavily about its insecurities. There is a clear vulnerability in that
they produce sound and friction that enables a trained individual to pick the
lock, gaining unauthorized access.

It's also interesting to think almost every house in the country has one of
those locks, yet no one seems too concerned.

~~~
fweespeech
Most buildings in the country have:

A) A pickable lock

B) A door that can be kicked in [fire code requirements]

C) Unsecured windows that can be broken to gain entry.

D) Crawl spaces that can be used to force entry from the outside.

You need alot more than a lock to secure a building.

~~~
seanp2k2
Yep, and most apartments have worse versions of those, which the residents are
contractually forbidden from doing anything about. I'd love to have a steel
door with a solid frame and half-way-decent locks, but since my landlord is
good with whatever was on sale at Home Depot, I don't get a say in the matter.

~~~
sukilot
How would your landlord notice if you upgraded the door?

Or care if you upgraded the lock and gave them a key?

~~~
fweespeech
The door he suggests would violate the fire codes in every municipality I've
ever lived in.

So given the landlord would be fined by the city and told to change it back is
the reason the landlord would care.

------
elchief
I'm guessing that the Chubb that invented that lock is related to Chubb
Insurance somehow...

~~~
elchief
Hm, perhaps not
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubb_Corp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubb_Corp).
(1882) vs
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubb_Security](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubb_Security)
(1818)

------
late2part
Awesome article. My take away for the computer world... There's no safe, just
safer. Security through obscurity is not as ridiculous as popularly believed.
Make your secrets distributed and subtle, and protected in multiple ways for
best likelihood!

~~~
mortehu
I think defense in depth[1][2] might be the term you're looking for.

1\.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_in_depth_%28computing%...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_in_depth_%28computing%29)

2\.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_in_depth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_in_depth)

