8 - Assignment & Discussion

Colin Horn

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Chapter 8

Safes, Vaults, and Accessories

Effective Physical Security

Fourth Edition

The University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer

Choose the Right Container

Value and physical nature of contents should dictate:
Type of container
Degree of protection sought
Not all combination-locked security containers are safes.

#8 Safes, Vaults, and Accessories

The University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer

Choose the Right Container

Combination container locks can be:
Fire-resistant safes
Burglary-resistant chests
Safes for EDP media
Insulated filing cabinets

Choose the Right Container

Fire-resistant safe/insulated filing cabinet vulnerable to burglary
Important documents in burglary chest secure from burglary but not fire.

Choose the Right Container

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) test fire- and burglary-resistance of containers.
Best protection—safes with UL label for both fire and burglary protection
Burglary chests inside insulated containers
Can also buy burglary chest and place inside insulated container
Labels may be required by insurance

Choose the Right Container

Higher security with special-function locks
Option equipment boosts sale price, but may be worth it.
Quality burglary-resistant chest—bank deposit may not need to be made daily
Threat—dishonest employee with combination
Properly timed hold-up

UL-Rated Combination Locks

For well-made containers:
Most common combination locks are certified UL 768
Combination locks can earn a classification of:
Group 1
Group 1R
Group 2

UL-Rated Combination Locks

UL testing procedure for combination locks
Testing if locks can be set to various combinations and specified tolerances

UL 768 tests for:
Mechanical strength
Impact resistance
Manufacturing tolerance
Product endurance operability after prolonged exposure to adverse conditions

UL-Rated Combination Locks

Testing for UL Group 1 (manipulation resistant and Group 1R (manipulation and radiographic resistant labels:
Tests above + lock tested must:
Resist skilled surreptitious attempts to learn combination numbers by:
Manipulation
Use of instruments
Radioactive isotopes (Group 1R)

UL-Rated Combination Locks

Group 2 combination adequate security in most instances.
Most safe burglars use force
High-security installations should use manipulation resistant Group 1 locks.

Defense contactors are required to protect classified information using government specs.
MIL-L-15596 defines acceptable types of combination locks

Relocking Devices

An auxiliary bolt or bolt-blocking mechanism without a control from outside the container
Protects security containers against torch, drill, and punching attacks
Separate standard of rating—UL 140

Relocking Devices

Simple in design:
Often just spring-driven bolts held in cocked position until activated by attack
Blocks retraction of door bolts, combination bolt, or both
Usually undetectable to user

Relocking Devices

Often held cocked by piece of metal attached by screws to combination lock’s back cover.
Protect against spindle or dial punching

In punching, the burglar:
Knocks dial off safe to expose end of spindle.
End is punched inward with hand sledge and drift punch
Lock’s wheels slammed against back cover of lock

Relocking Devices

Most combination lock back covers designed to be dislodged by punching
Dislodging cover dislodges the relock check.
A spring then moves the relock to its triggered position.

Relocking Devices

After spindle punching:
Tools are inserted through spindle hole to fish the combination bolt to a retracted position.
If no relockers, safe door could be opened.
A triggered relocker not easily located/released from outside.

Relocking Devices

Relocking devices not required in design
Many manufacturers do
Cost per inch in fire-resistant container lower than burglary-resistant container
Many clients store high-value items in fire-resistant containers

Relocking Devices

Thermal relocking devices hinder burglars using cutting torches/other burning tools.
Activates when mechanism holding the relock cocked heats to melting point
Spring activates a bolt-blocking mechanism
Usually near the combination lock

Relocking Devices

Current Group 1, 1R, and 2 combination locks have built-in relocking devices.
Some incorporate thermal protection
Many safe manufacturers include their own designs of relockers, outside combination lock

Relocking Devices

Some relocking devices protect simultaneously against:
Punching
Drilling
burning

Relocking Devices

Nerve plate of tempered glass between combination lock and inner surface of door
Wires or cords strung from spring-driven relocking device is fastened to the glass.
Placement ensures that unskilled or semi-skilled burglars will shatter the glass
Popular with foreign safe makers for long time

Locking Combination Dials

To ensure no one person has control of a security container’s contents
Dual custody requirements
One person has key, another the combination
Locked dial will not allow the combination to turn until key unlocks it

Locking Combination Dials

Example—supermarket safe
Store manager has combination
Armored car guard has dial key
Stops lone person from abusing position of trust
Helps protect innocents from unwarranted suspicion.

Lockable Handles

Perform same function as lockable dials
Combination can be dialed but bolt control handle does not retract bolts until unlocked

Combination often dialed and door bolts often left retracted in walk-in vaults during business hours
Thieves have used this to lock workers in vault
Locking bolt control handles can prevent this because door bolts can be immobilized.

Time Locks

Standard equipment on bank vault doors
Also used on other security contains with enough room for installation
Remains locked for predetermined time
In 19th century, discouraged kidnapping of bank officials and families to get vault combinations

Time Locks

Usually mechanical windup mechanisms
Similar to ordinary timepieces
When time lock is wound, shutter in the case closes
Rod/project extends from door bolts
When bolts move, the rod moves

During bolt retraction, rod normally enters time lock case via shutter hole
Closed shutter blocks rods passage.
Shutter reopens when first movement winds down.

Time Locks

Typically relies on at least two separate windup movements in a single case
Used on safes as well as vaults
At least two movements assures that a single movement’s failure does not cause a lockout

Time-Delay Combination Locks

Foils armed robbers from forcing combinations from employees
Also known as delayed action timers (DATs)
Combination lock with one or more timer movements
Dialing the combination winds a timer
Must then wait a predetermined time before lock opens—3 to 45 minutes

Time-Delay Combination Locks

Most sophisticated have alarms
Can dial a special combination and activate a holdup alarm
Reduce robbery losses and incidences
Business often post notices of these locks

Alarmed Combination Locks

Incorporate microswitches that can shunt alarms and signal unauthorized openings
Most useful—switches designed to send duress alarm signals
Discreetly send alarm signal when a special combination is dialed
Opens the safe, so robber does not know alarm was sent.

Alarmed Combination Locks

Tamper switches protection containers at times when no one is allowed access.
Dial set at predetermined number, the alarm is turned on
Any dial attempt sends an alarm

Can monitor status of container or as an alarm shunt
If lock bolt is retracted, the switch is activated.
Shunt switch allows burglary alarm circuit to remain active 24 hours while allowing access to contents.

Vision-Restricting and Shielded Dials

Front-reading—standard combination dials
Numbers visible from horizontal line of sight
Can see numbers being dialed
Spyproof dial—vision-restricting
Numbers on dial cannot be seen by others.

Vision-Restricting and Shielded Dials

Various types:
Top-reading dial—most common
Numbers etched into outer rim perpendicular to safe door
Must stand in front of dial to see numbers
Raised flange guards side of dial from view.

Vision-Restricting and Shielded Dials

Others:
Incorporate covered dials with louvered windows, tinted/polarized lenses
Covered dial except turning knob stops finger smudges (which may show clues to combination).

Combination Changing

Positive aspect of combination locks—user changeability
Some companies have policies to ensure exclusive knowledge of combination numbers.
New combination locks come with detailed instruction for changing and special change keys.

Combination Changing

Safe dealers often remove changing instructions and keys before delivery
Safe buyers often attempt combination changes before fully reading/understanding instructions, causing lockouts
Client calls safe dealer, who charges a service fee—often to clients who claim it was a defective product

Combination Changing

Relatively simple, but mistakes costly
Lost time and dollars
Lockout may cause a forcing-open of container
High degree of care must be taken when changing combinations.

Safe Burglaries

Fewer skilled safecrackers today
Technical ignorance
Easier targets
Some are more technological proficient
Part of expertise is exploiting human error
Defense—knowledge of and adherence to proper security procedure

Hidden Combinations

Many people write down combination numbers, leaving them nearby
Burglars know to look for them
Memorization makes them more secure.

Using Personal Info for Combinations

Appealing—easy to remember
Easy for burglars to find this information
Tend to have combinations ending in 0 or 5
Limits combination possibilities
Should be random set of numbers with no special significance to user

Failing to Fully Scramble Combinations

Common when safe has a locking dial
Combination numbers left dialed
Bolt left extended
Dial locked with key
Turning dial key opens safe and moving dial a few numbers

Failing to Fully Scramble Combinations

Dial locks and combination locks do NOT offer same protection
Combination lock inside safe door, dial lock on outside
Safes without locking dials can be locked but not fully scrambled
Turn dial at least four full revolutions to lock

Failing to Fully Scramble Combinations

Possible to clamp heavy piers on dial and twist to open
Dial lock protects dial
Combination lock protects safe

Punching

Majority of safes protected
Relocking devices
Punch-resistant spindles
safe dial pried or knocked off and punch hit with a hand sledge drives spindle inward
Knocks lock components out of position
Best protection—UL-listed relocking device

Peeling

Insulated containers often peeled open by:
Pounding with a sledge near a corner to buckle it inward
Inserting wedging or prying tools
Door peeled back until contents are reached

Other peeling attack:
Chisel separates outer metal skin from door
Then a larger chisel breaks remaining spot welds to door’s edge
Digs or chops through door insulation and inner skin to expose lock or door bolts

Ripping or Chopping

Most successful in insulated containers
Heavy metal-cutting tools cut hole in door, side, or bottom
Content pulled through hole
Best defense—burglary chest instead of insulated container

Carting Off

Entire container is taken, then opened at a secure location
Majority of containers have wheels
Bolt-down kits available
If not, at least take wheels off
For smaller chest, install inside box or metal jacket bolted to floor and fill with concrete

Skilled Attacks

Skill specialties vary, with wide variety of available equipment:
High-speed and low-rpm/high-torque drills
Carborundum cutters and saber saws
Cutting torches and burning bars
Oxy-arc lances
explosives

Skilled Attack

Only protection—ensure attack is time-consuming with danger of discovery
Burglary-resistant container with high rating
Have a reliable intrusion detection system
Protect both safe and premises perimeter
Security policy prohibiting security breaches
Writing down combinations or leaving combination partially dialed

Overcoming Safe-Opening Problems

Balky combination locks
Money for adjustments unavailable
Don’t want to exhibit ignorance or inability
May leave combination dialed to avoid added irritation the next time
Easy for prowler to open safe
May need several tries to open safe if ordered to by armed robber—very dangerous

Overcoming Safe-Opening Problems

Guidelines:
Stand in front of safe, look directly at numbers when dialing
Align dial numbers exactly with index mark at top of dial
Follow safe maker’s instructions exactly
Do not spin dial.

Overcoming Safe-Opening Problems

Dialing techniques when safe does not open:
Add one number to each of the combination numbers; dial as if combination
Example: if combination is “20-60-10”, try 21-61-41
If not working, try subtracting one number
Example: 19-59-39

Overcoming Safe-Opening Problems

If still unsuccessful, add one to each setting, using normal dialing procedure:
21-60-40; 20-61-40; 20-60-41.
If not, try subtracting:
19-60-40; 20-59-40; 20-60-39
May indicate lock wear and dialing errors
Inspect and service lock

The University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer

The University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer