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CompTIA Security+ 1.2
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Which Key Weakness?

Lost or stolen, copied, picked or bumped, or opens more than one door? Name the weakness of each key.

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

Keys work well for a home, a locking cabinet or a laptop lock. For most business doors, the lesson says, they are not a great solution, and it names the reasons. A key can be lost or stolen, and then it opens the lock for whoever has it. A key can be copied. A duplicate opens the lock exactly as the original does, and nobody knows how many working keys exist. A lock can be opened without its key: picked with tools, or opened with a bump key, a specially cut key that opens many locks of the same type. The lesson's author learned to pick a lock and says it is not that difficult. And one key can open more than one door. The lesson's magnetic tag key is a terrible key for exactly that reason: anyone who gets it gets every door it opens. To sort a card, ask what has gone wrong: the key has left your control, a second key exists, the lock was opened without a key, or one key reaches too far.

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
1.2 Summarize fundamental security concepts.

Key terms

Key Duplication
The unauthorized or uncontrolled copying of a physical key, which can result in unintended access to secured areas.
Lock-Picking
A technique used to open a lock without the original key by manipulating the lock's components.
Bump Key
A specially cut key that can be used to open many pin tumbler locks by exploiting the physics of the lock mechanism.
Access Control
A security mechanism that restricts access to resources based on policies, roles, or identity.
Vulnerability
A weakness in a system, application, or process that can be exploited by a threat actor.

Topics

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