CypherCon 2027
Deviant’s Top Lock Recommendations (And Why They Are Not Right For You)
Deviant Ollam
Abstract:
As a prominent Person On The Internet™ who is known for both attacking and defending locks, safes, vaults, and access control systems I am often asked very simple questions to complex security problems. And the question I hear more than any other essentially boils down to: “What lock should I buy?”
I have a short list of products that I trust implicitly. I frequently share these recommendations in blog posts, videos, and consultations with clients. And while each one of these hardware choices has dutifully earned a place in my hall of fame, they each would fail to meet the needs of plenty of people in numerous of situations. This talk is an examination of how there is no “one, single, perfect” physical security solution and it examines all of the ways that “my best recommendations” will not fit certain scenarios. Plenty of examples will be shown and hopefully these stories will help illustrate why one-size-fits-all solutions are not achievable.
But if you want to walk away simply with “the best” method of securing your home or your bike or your office… you’ll get that, too.
(NOTE: Nothing in this talk is sponsored and I have no financial ties to any of the security systems that I will mention)
Deviant Ollam
Physical Penetration Specialist
While paying the bills as a physical penetration specialist with The CORE Group and the Director of Education for Red Team Alliance, Deviant Ollam also sat on the Board of Directors of the US division of TOOOL — The Open Organisation Of Lockpickers — for 14 years… acting as the the nonprofit’s longest-serving Boardmember. His books “Practical Lock Picking” and “Keys to the Kingdom” are among Syngress Publishing’s best-selling pen testing titles. In addition to being a lockpicker, Deviant is also a SAVTA certified safe technician, a GSA certified safe and vault inspector, a member of the International Association of Investigative Locksmiths, a Life Safety and ADA Consultant, and an NFPA Fire Door Inspector. At multiple annual security conferences Deviant started Lockpick Village workshop areas, and he has conducted physical security training sessions for Black Hat, the SANS Institute, DeepSec, ToorCon, HackCon, HackInTheBox, ekoparty, AusCERT, GovCERT, CONFidence, the FBI, the NSA, DARPA, the National Defense University, Los Alamos National Lab, the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
In his limited spare time, Deviant enjoys loud moments with lead acceleration and quiet times with podcasts. He arrives at airports too early and shows up at parties too late, but will promptly appear right on time for tacos or whiskey.