Keyless Access Control Systems: A Lock Picker's Worst Nightmare
No longer is a key the only thing someone thinks of when going to lock a door. Since they were introduced commercially in the early 1980s, keyless access control systems have become very common, especially in automobiles. Today there are a wide variety of keyless access control systems that can provide modern security for any door you are planning to protect. The most well-known keyless access control systems are the ubiquitous remote keychain radio frequency control systems that come with new cars. These provide an extreme amount of convenience, allowing a person to simply pull out the keychain and unlock the door in the process of walking to the car. Moreover, for those of us who have problems finding our car in a crowded car park, the audible feedback from pushing the button can really come in handy. A more modern smart key system improves on this design. The system is actually able to detect if the key is in the vicinity of the car, so the car will automatically unlock when it detects its presence or the key, or if it detects the presence of the key plus the driver pressing a sensor somewhere on the door. As a result, the user no longer even needs to worry about pulling the key out of the pocket, making the process of unlocking the car even more convenient. One can also improve the security of standard key-based ignition with such a system designed so that the vehicle is programmed not to turn on if the key signal is not in close proximity to the car. Keyless access extends beyond cars and radio frequency controls as well. Buildings can have important access points controlled with code pads where the user is expected to type in the correct code before the door is opened. These have become much more common the last couple of decades as these devices have the advantage that a standard lock picking device is completely ineffective against it. These are also convenient for everyday users since they do not have to worry about leaving a key at home. A more advanced form of keyless entry involves the use of biometric information to control access. One of the most common such devices is a fingerprint reading device. The advantage of these devices is that one can keep track of exactly who visits a given room, and that it can not be