Combo Breaker: A hacker in California has invented a machine he printed (with a 3D printer) that can “break” the code of a rotary combination lock in about 30 seconds.
The hacker made the printing designs freely available to the public, along with the open source code of the software that allows the combinations to be broken.
A few weeks ago, Samy Kamkar uncovered a manufacturing flaw in Master Lock combination locks that revealed the combination by measuring how the selector interacts with the fastener. It's a difficult process, but with software, it becomes incredibly easy.
The Combo Breaker uses a stepper motor to rotate the Master Lock combination wheel, an Arduino chip to run the software, and a 3D-printed frame that hugs the lock to ensure a stable fit for the dial controller.
The Combo Breaker mechanism takes about five minutes to find the combination, which is worrying, but also very useful if the lock is yours and you have forgotten the combination.
Before you panic, Kamkar tested the device on a cheap version of a Master Lock lock. The company says, however, that it has made its rotary combination locks more durable, so the Combo Breaker may not have guaranteed results.
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