This fingerprint-verified smart lock can be foiled by a magnet:
Tapplock, a company that makes fingerprint-verified locks, has had a rough time with its locks' security. The company's flagship lock, which has been available since 2019, is apparently easy to pop open with a magnet. YouTuber LockPickingLawyer published a video last week showing how he could use a powerful magnet to turn the motor inside the Tapplock One Plus, causing it to open. The entire process takes less than 30 seconds.
The Tapplock One Plus costs $99 and features a fingerprint sensor. It also has built-in Bluetooth, so people can unlock it using an app. In response to the video, Tapplock commented: "Wow! Shout out to LPL for finding this exploit. Working on a fix with magnetic shielding, will be back."
This is a commendable reply, although it doesn't do much for people who already bought the lock. Most companies ignore bug reports or fail to fix the flaw. It at least seems like Tapplock wants to figure out how to prevent this kind of attack.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by RS3 on Tuesday April 07 2020, @12:34AM
You gave me another idea. Not sure how the hardware is designed, but if they put sensing on the motor leads, they could sense external magnetic influences, and intentionally drive the motor a little- enough to keep it locked.
They could also do a coil or a Hall-effect sensor and again, drive the motor toward locked when external magnetic fields come around.