No video surveillance cameras, no opening sensors on doors and windows. No security locks or biometric systems. Locking the key at night and leaving the key in the cylinder is one of the things that gives the greatest feeling of security in the world. Therefore, there are millions of people who do it every day. But as Samuel Prieto, a security expert at the Higher Institute of Public Security, explained, closing the door leaving the key inside does not contribute anything and can also generate a feeling of false security.
Now that is a problem.
Does locking them by inserting the key not work? Depends. In reality, single clutch cylinders are usually very simple and unsafe systems. Block are blocked, of course; but in reality it is a lock that is only useful against legitimate attempts to open the door. As our colleagues at WorldOfSoftware Home explained, there are methods (magnets or the use of master keys, for example) so that anyone with the necessary knowledge can open it without problem.
That means it will stop you from opening the door if you’re left outside with it inside, but it won’t stop thieves (and, luckily, the locksmith) from being able to pick the lock. In the event that the lock is double clutch, furthermore, the practice of leaving the key does not even serve to lock the door.
And why can it be counterproductive? Because, as with online security, the weakest link in the security of any system is us. To give a silly example, it is useless to have the latest security system on our door if we leave a window open.
That is to say, almost all the major security problems have to do with the fact that, often without realizing it, we engage in risky behavior. The reward of leaving quickly when we are in a hurry is greater than the cost of checking if the windows are closed: and we adopt the former. That is what explains why year after year the password “123456” is among the most used or that we do not “secure” our house well.
In this sense, it is enough to review the recommendations of the National Police Corps to see that, although important, most of the time the key is the least important thing.
What should we take into account when feeling safe? The first thing, of course, is to close doors and windows. It is true that this is a bigger problem in summer because the heat invites you to open the windows and it is easy to forget some. But, especially, less obvious access (such as patios) is good to have well controlled.
It’s not a bad idea either to check the mailbox regularly and leave visible signs that the house is occupied. The police, for example, recommend not closing the blinds completely or keeping parts of the house illuminated. In general, despite recurring reports of robberies with people inside, thieves usually look for empty homes.
The variables. The installation of other security measures (or not) depends on the specific case. However, it never hurts to ‘responsible manage’ our keys and locks. Acquire a quality lock (and change the cylinder when we lose the keys or move)
In WorldOfSoftware | We have been regularly updating our passwords with numbers and symbols for years. Turns out it’s not such a good idea anymore.
In WorldOfSoftware | Passkeys that want to bury our passwords have a big problem. We may have found the solution
Imagen | Ries Bosch
*An earlier version of this article was published in November 2023
