CFL Physical Security Assessment & Vulnerability Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'bumping' in the context of lock attack vectors?
- A technique using a specially cut key struck to momentarily set all spring-loaded pins (Correct answer)
- The process of drilling through a lock core at the shear line
- Using shimming tools to bypass a padlock's shackle pawl
- Applying tension to bypass wafer tumbler locks
Correct answer: A technique using a specially cut key struck to momentarily set all spring-loaded pins
Bump keys are cut to maximum depth on every cut and struck while applying rotational tension, momentarily setting all spring-loaded pin stacks simultaneously.
Question 2: Which attack method would leave the least visible evidence on a standard pin tumbler lock?
- Skilled picking with a tension wrench and pick (Correct answer)
- Drilling through the shear line
- Sawing through the shackle on a padlock
- Prying the lock body away from the door
Correct answer: Skilled picking with a tension wrench and pick
Expert lock picking with proper tools can leave minimal or no visible marks, making it the most forensically covert attack method on pin tumbler locks.
Question 3: A forensic locksmith identifies shiny, polished marks on the upper surfaces of a keyway. What attack vector does this suggest?
- Pick raking, where a serrated pick was rapidly moved back and forth through the keyway (Correct answer)
- Key impressioning performed on the exterior lock face
- Forced cylinder rotation with a screwdriver
- Drilling from directly above the cylinder
Correct answer: Pick raking, where a serrated pick was rapidly moved back and forth through the keyway
Shiny polished marks on keyway warding surfaces from rapid back-and-forth tool movement are characteristic of raking techniques used in picking attacks.
Question 4: What is 'impressioning' as an attack vector on locks?
- Filing a blank key while repeatedly inserting it to create a working key from pin-mark patterns (Correct answer)
- Photographing a key to produce a 3D-printed duplicate
- Using acid to chemically etch the lock cylinder interior
- Spraying powder into a keyway to read pin positions optically
Correct answer: Filing a blank key while repeatedly inserting it to create a working key from pin-mark patterns
Impressioning involves inserting a blank key, applying rotational torque, and filing the marks left by binding pins until a fully functional working key is produced.
Question 5: Which vulnerability is specifically exploited in a 'shimming' attack on a padlock?
- The spring-loaded locking pawl that engages the shackle notch (Correct answer)
- The keyway's warding configuration blocking wrong keys
- The cylinder's shear line gap between plug and housing
- The body's metal hardness and alloy composition
Correct answer: The spring-loaded locking pawl that engages the shackle notch
Shimming exploits the spring-loaded pawl mechanism by inserting a thin shim down the shackle hole to depress and bypass the retaining pawl without using a key.
Question 6: In assessing electronic access control vulnerabilities, what is a 'relay attack'?
- Amplifying and retransmitting signals between a credential and reader to gain access from a distance (Correct answer)
- Physically cutting relay wires inside the access control panel
- Transmitting false alarm signals to suppress door sensor alerts
- Overloading the power supply to trigger a fail-open door release
Correct answer: Amplifying and retransmitting signals between a credential and reader to gain access from a distance
A relay attack amplifies and retransmits the RF signal between a proximity credential and reader, allowing unauthorized access without possessing the actual credential.
CFL Physical Security Assessment & Vulnerability Analysis 2
What is 'bumping' in the context of lock attack vectors?