GN: An employee with minimal access has lost a key, do we need to replace our entire master key system?
GP: You would need to assess the risk posed by the loss of the key. Does the key fit a few locks that protect critical areas?
You should also assess the circumstances of how the key was lost. There is a big difference between the response required to a key lost overboard offshore whilst fishing to one stolen in a bag snatch at the front of the building.
But there is no absolute answer – all that can be done is assess the risk and make the decision to either manage that risk or to rekey your system.
A local council has buildings and facilities across several suburbs including local sporting fields, public spaces and depots. What would best suit its needs, a mechanical master key system or an electro-mechanical master key system?
A mix of electronic and mechanical master key systems are appropriate for many situations in councils. For example, in a regional council it may be appropriate to protect the local sporting fields with a conventional master key system whilst for more critical areas such as the drinking water, a higher level of security provided by an electro-mechanical master key system could be better suited. There is no clear answer to this question, each council should do their own risk assessment and select the product/s that best suit their situation.
When and why should an organisation consider two (or more) separate master key systems?
There are two main reasons why – security reasons, and the need for a more flexible and future proof keying matrix.
If a key is lost or compromised, it can only access a smaller portion of the doors. For example, if a high-level key is lost by a council that fits 80% of the doors the consequences can be catastrophic. If the system comprised of two separate systems, then the exposure of the lost key should be halved.
Meanwhile, a very large single master key matrix can be extremely complex and as such can stretch the limits of the coding capacity of any master key system. Splitting the system reduces the complexity and, in most cases will make your system far more resilient and future proof in that there is expansion to cover partial rekeying in the case of lost keys and room to grow if the organisation expands.
Can you break down what a master key hierarchy means?
A master key system hierarchy or also known as the keying matrix describes the multi-level hierarchy of keys within a master key system.
When arranged visually a hierarchy often resembles a family tree diagram – the grandparents at the top, their three children below, then under each child, their offspring.
In the master hierarchy the grandparents would represent the Grand Master Key which would be the key that fits all the locks in all areas.
The parents would represent the Master Keys which would be keys that fit the locks in a specific area or department.
The children would represent the Change Keys or the keys that fit each individual office or door in that department or area.
The hierarchy is the plan or guide used to produce the calculations of the cuts in each key within your master key system. If this stage is not carefully planned and then calculated (which is normally done via specialised master keying design software) your new master key system can be flawed from day one.
It’s worth noting you should always be wary about designing the keying matrix to suit every individual person’s access requirements. This can create a hierarchy that is extremely complex and can in many cases be avoided simply by giving a select few more than one key to access all the locks.
What is an electro-mechanical master key system?
This is the phrase used to describe a security system that combines the attributes of a mechanical master key system with access control. The system is programmed, lost keys can be deleted, there is an audit trail of use, and the keying hierarchy can be customised to every single user’s exact requirements. Also, because it is programmable, if the matrix is wrong it can be reprogrammed.
What’s the difference between patent and registered design key systems?
Both provide you, the master key system owner, a level of legal protection against the unauthorised copy of keys within your master key system.
Patent provides 20 years of protection from when it is first registered and a registered design 10 years. A patent provides a higher degree of legal protection than a registered design.
Always check the remaining life of the protection as in some cases locksmiths are selling systems that have very little remaining protection and, in some cases, no remaining protection at all.
Do I need to replace my master key system if the Patent or Registered Design is expired?
As a seller of master key systems, I would love to say 100% yes to this but the truth is you should do a risk assessment, conduct an audit on your system, check with your insurance company and then weigh up the pros and cons and consider this information when you make the decision on the best course of action.
Generally, the locksmiths and key cutters in Australia will abide by the patent and registered designs, however the enforcement does not normally sit with you the client or the locksmith, it falls on the manufacturer or distributor to enforce the intellectual property (IP). So, asking about the track record of the manufacturer or distributor in relation to the master key system you have in place may also be valuable information.
What are some forms of attack?
Picking: Like in the movies, many locks can be manipulated, however do not let the movies fool you. It is an art and like any art, practice makes perfect. Well not perfect but the more you practice, the better you become at picking locks. Generally, the higher grade of security offered by the master key system you choose the higher the resistance to picking.
Bumping: A term used to describe a form of picking. One special key is produced that when hit into a lock with some turning force may allow the lock to open. Again, this is an attack that may work on lower level systems but most higher level systems are almost totally resistant to this form of attack.
Drilling: Exactly as it the name suggests, drilling the cylinder out. Low level security cylinders have little or no drill protection but generally, as the security increases in the master key system so does methodologies employed to provide resistance to drilling. Many systems have anti drill pins and components produced from hardened steel to resist this form of attack.
Can a key be reversed engineered?
The answer is yes. Some systems can be decoded easily by eye and then reproduced at a later stage by even a novice. Other systems have various methods to inhibit and make it more difficult to reverse engineer a key. However, technology continues to evolve in this area and with 3D printing becoming more cost effective this one is extremely difficult to counter. I must say that I am not aware of any systems to date that have been compromised by keys that have been reversed engineered.
Who is Geoff Plummer?
Geoff Plummer is a Davcor Group Pty Ltd employee of 24 years, he started as an apprentice lockmith back in 1986 and attended Lockmith Tradeschool at Ultimo in Sydney.
He worked for Western Suburbs Locksmith in Homebush NSW, Eastern Suburbs Locksmiths in Bondi NSW, L & C Locksmith in Annandale NSW and then in his own business called Allcare Lockmiths based in Auburn, NSW.
After selling Allcare Locksmiths in 1998, he had a hiatus year or two before joining Davcor (Lock and Key Co back then). Since this time, he has held eight roles within the company, based in Sydney, Melbourne and south east Asia. He has sold, supported and developed all manner of mechanical and electronic locking devices to the companies’ customers.
In 2000, he was the lead in introducing the first electro-mechanical master key system to Australia called CyberLock. He has managed various divisions of Davcor, ranging from Lock and Key that supplies locksmiths, Smartlock Digital which provides high end safe locking solutions for safes, ATM’s and vaults, EKA which distributes and supports CyberLock and of course, EVVA mechanical master key systems.
Geoff is a locksmith with 36 years of experience ranging from the most basic mechanical lock to the most complex master key system and electronically, the most advanced electro-mechanical master key system to the most secure electronic vault lock.
For more information contact EVVA Australia at www.evva.com.au or call 1300 003 882. To Download our latest industry white paper here.
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