[795] TSA Master Keys — Why You Should NEVER Use Travel Locks (Except on Luggage)

[ShinobiDiabolik]

lockpicking lawyer gives us another valuable lesson. for those of you who ask why you show thieves how to steal, he does not. theves know how to steal without this video. What lockpicking lawyer is doing is show us what we are vulnerable to, and how they attack us, so we know how to defend ourself and so we know what to protect ourselfs from.

[apriljones]

I used a non tsa approved lock on my suitcase once, and the TSA broke my lock for a “random inspection.” They also folded all my clothes lol

[charanth]

Illustration as to why "backdoor" access is a bad thing for digital locks. It only takes one small leak and security is gone.

[zacmac]

This reminds me of a fun thing with the TSA: if you're travelling on an interior flight in the USA and are carrying very valuable luggage, pack it alongside a firearm, even unloaded this means you need it in a bag secured with a non-tsa lock and have to be present for any inspections - useful if you're carrying your super-expensive bespoke cosplay gear that you'd rather keep an eye on

[TheBasedShark]

I actually purchased some travel locks in the US, I believe from Target. It actually included the tsa master key in the package. Didn't just look like one, it was an exact copy.

[wazz]

I bought a cheap 4 pack of travel locks that DIDN'T have the sticker on them, tried to pick one, when I turned the tension wrench it opened the lock

[chickensmack]

When we moved to a new housing development in the early '70s, the real estate agent gave my mom a master key to every house in the neighborhood, on one of our visits. My mom made a copy of the key, so we had a key to all of our neighbors' houses. She let our neighbors know about this, once we moved in. This meant that every time someone got locked out, we got a call and I'd get sent over on my bicycle to let them in.

[mouaxiong]

*"Master lock, Which of course obviously opens"*
Seems about right on every master lock

[stormbornapostle]

Masterlock still offers more protection than the TSA itself does.

[Fulmynato]

The whole idea of the TSA master key is flawed by design, and is a good example of why any sort of "government backdoor" some would like to introduce on IT systems is a terrible idea.

[Theogenerang]

The fact there are only seven TSA master keys reminds of a story I was told by an aviation mechanic how there were only a dozen or less master keys for a certain brand of aircraft. He could move any of them around the airport at a moments notice with one key ring.

[ymeynot]

TSA locks are also great for bondage gear. Because the are so easy to open without the correct key, incase anything goes wrong.

[cogenerate]

I'll give you another reason to avoid them: I have a Pelican case with TSA locks built into the hasps. I didn't purchase the case for this feature, it simply came with it. Not ever wanting to have my luggage delayed due to some agent not being able to get into my luggage, I threw away the keys to the case so I'd never be tempted to lock it. On one trip, I arrived at the job site to find some TSA prick had locked my case and I had to take it to a locksmith to get it open. This seems like the end of the story but it gets more interesting...


He didn't have a TSA master key so he filed-down a handcuff key (which for some reason he did have) and it worked. He sold me the key and I carry it with me in a different case that doesn't have built-in locks in the event this ever happens again. I mostly travel domestically these days (and TSA has never found the handcuff key) but sometimes I take a trip abroad. On a trip to Edmonton I was taken to secondary and had to explain to a very upset Canadian customs officer why I was carrying a handcuff key in one of my bags (and the guy had absolutely no sense of humor).

[zeendaniels]

I think your picking was faster than using the key 😂

[Flurinamsler]

To quote Tim Cook, CEO of Apple:

“You can’t have a backdoor that’s only for the good guys“

For me this TSA locks are dead on arrival. Even before 3D printers became common, there were some pictures of all TSA keys available on the internet. And the locking mechanism of these locks can be picked pretty easy. I think the TSA master lock make these locks even weaker because you can choose the weaker of the both entries.

@Lockpickinglawyer: you’re making people safer. One (picked) lock at a time. Keep up your great work! 👍

[MarcosElMalo]

I have an interesting “solution” for luggage. Use a zip tie. Pack a couple of zip ties of different colors where they’ll be easily seen, along with a note to whomever is searching your luggage: please reseal with provided zip ties. I suggest using different colors and avoiding black, white, or clear. Place some subtle pen marks on the tie near its tightening mechanism.

Document all of this with photos.

You’ve established whether or not your luggage was opened while in TSA or Airline custody*. You’re protecting your luggage from accidental opening. There is no guarantee that the TSA official searching your luggage will reseal your bags as you requested, but you’ll at least know that, too.

[htomerif]

I had a knee-jerk reaction to the title of this and thought "no one would ever use one of these things outside of protecting luggage from the most casual of theft" but of course they would. If there was one video of yours that I'd like to see get several million views, it would be this one. Not because its particularly unique among your videos but because companies seem to be using "TSA compliant" to imply that these locks are somehow even better than regular locks when they're actually much, much worse.

Everyone needs to watch at least one lock picking video to have this illusion of invulnerability shattered.

[bourbonwarrior]

I'm going to save this video and show it to people that think "master keys" are a good idea for encryption.

[mhappy]

Master locks generally cry out for this kind of treatment... Well said!

[jackiesharp]

I've learned how to lockpick so well that my classmates come to me for locked lockers instead of teachers