fingerprint access gun safe

snacktrack · April 26, 2005, 11:25 AM

Hey you guys, I did a search for one of these thinking I wouldnt find such a thing, but I found them! Does anyone have any of these?? I am definitely looking to get one of these. Any feedback would be appreciated.

http://www.biometricsdirect.com/fingerprintsafe.htm

IZinterrogator · April 27, 2005, 10:18 AM

I wouldn't do it. We used biometrics in Iraq for prisoner management and it is not that great. Some guys would come back as six different people and some would not be identified by the system at all, even though they had already had their fingerprints scanned. Biometrics systems are really tempermental and I would not trust one to give me my gun when I really needed it since I will probably not be calmly placing my finger on the pad, but slamming it on the pad and smearing it across.

If this is really the way you want to go, try to find a demo model to test first. If it requires you to do the fingerprint precisely the same way every time, don't buy it.

**tyme** · April 27, 2005, 12:30 PM

Snacktrack, the first few look cheap. Anyone capable of picking a cheap ordinary lock will be able to get them open with a sledgehammer, prybar, drill, or similar tools.

I hope you're not getting it just because it's "cool." Think about it. What's your threat model? Cheap biometric systems like that can probably be defeated if a burglar can lift one of your prints from anywhere you've left one.

Just looking at the description of the ones at the bottom, they're not terribly good either, though they look more substantial. They probably only require higher-grade prybars (something you might find at a hardware store instead of surplus scrap metal). The safes use hidden hinges because there are no bolts on the right side of the door; however, the layout of the front gives people a good idea which side the hinges are on, so the fact that they're concealed doesn't provide much security.

In short, none of those are real safes. If you want to read about real safes and their failure modes, try this.
http://www.crypto.com/papers/safelocks.pdf

(You can probably also find much cheaper safes with equivalent physical security that use a number pad. Get one that locks up for a minute after 3 incorrect combinations or that offers a more-than-four-digit code, and that should be more than sufficient for a toy safe.)

April 26, 2005, 11:25 AM	#1
snacktrack Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2005 Location: Wilmington DE Posts: 291	fingerprint access gun safe Hey you guys, I did a search for one of these thinking I wouldnt find such a thing, but I found them! Does anyone have any of these?? I am definitely looking to get one of these. Any feedback would be appreciated. http://www.biometricsdirect.com/fingerprintsafe.htm

April 27, 2005, 10:18 AM	#2
IZinterrogator Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2004 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ Posts: 2,457	I wouldn't do it. We used biometrics in Iraq for prisoner management and it is not that great. Some guys would come back as six different people and some would not be identified by the system at all, even though they had already had their fingerprints scanned. Biometrics systems are really tempermental and I would not trust one to give me my gun when I really needed it since I will probably not be calmly placing my finger on the pad, but slamming it on the pad and smearing it across. If this is really the way you want to go, try to find a demo model to test first. If it requires you to do the fingerprint precisely the same way every time, don't buy it. __________________ "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!” - Samuel Adams

April 27, 2005, 12:30 PM	#3
tyme Staff Join Date: October 13, 2001 Posts: 3,357	Snacktrack, the first few look cheap. Anyone capable of picking a cheap ordinary lock will be able to get them open with a sledgehammer, prybar, drill, or similar tools. I hope you're not getting it just because it's "cool." Think about it. What's your threat model? Cheap biometric systems like that can probably be defeated if a burglar can lift one of your prints from anywhere you've left one. Just looking at the description of the ones at the bottom, they're not terribly good either, though they look more substantial. They probably only require higher-grade prybars (something you might find at a hardware store instead of surplus scrap metal). The safes use hidden hinges because there are no bolts on the right side of the door; however, the layout of the front gives people a good idea which side the hinges are on, so the fact that they're concealed doesn't provide much security. In short, none of those are real safes. If you want to read about real safes and their failure modes, try this. http://www.crypto.com/papers/safelocks.pdf (You can probably also find much cheaper safes with equivalent physical security that use a number pad. Get one that locks up for a minute after 3 incorrect combinations or that offers a more-than-four-digit code, and that should be more than sufficient for a toy safe.) __________________ “The egg hatched...” “...the egg hatched... and a hundred baby spiders came out...” (blade runner) “Who are you?” “A friend. I'm here to prevent you from making a mistake.” “You have no idea what I'm doing here, friend.” “In specific terms, no, but I swore an oath to protect the world...” (continuum) “It's a goal you won't understand until later. Your job is to make sure he doesn't achieve the goal.” (bsg)