Security Stuff
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Alarm System Part 2: Security System Teardown
This Blog is part of a Series! Check out the rest if you haven’t already: First things first, it was time to tear out the EEPROM since the reader is coming soon. What You’ll Need Finding PIN 1 This part is important — you can’t take a game cartridge and jam it in backwards because…
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Decoding USPS PO Box Combinations – Part 2
If you are looking to understand how combination locks work, or you already have access to the inside of a PO Box, you’ll probably enjoy Part 1 a lot more. This one gets into decoding the lock from the outside. Before we start, lets just look at how ornate this damn door is. WOW. So…
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Decoding USPS PO Box Combinations – Part 1
A few weeks ago I took a trip to a local antique mall here in Texas. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to one and last time was to find old school padlocks to pick. I found this USPS PO Box door (presumably box #60563) for sale for $20, along with several others.…
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Alarm System Part 1: The old security system
This Blog is part of a Series! Check out the rest if you haven’t already: I’ve recently built my own home security panel. For the code, STLs, and a rambling blog about it, look over here. What does a technology hoarder do with the old system components you probably didn’t ask? I took the existing…
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Home Security & I’m Back
This Blog is part of a Series! Check out the rest if you haven’t already: I’ve blogged for years on this domain, and every few years I get sick of WordPress or the server I’m hosting on, delete it, and don’t look back. This time is no different. By 2026 or so, this post should…
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Lockboxes and Key Space Exhaustion
On a rare occasion, I’ll have a chance to check out a thrift shop or antique store and see what sorts of locks or security equipment they have for sale. I’ve wanted to check out those realtor lockboxes for some time, but didn’t want to spring $25 for minimal entertainment value. Today, I stopped in…
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Stop Using Security Questions
Please stop using security questions. Why security questions were designed with good intentions If you forget your password, a site can ask you a series of security questions. This allows you to recover your account while still potentially authenticating you with questions only you know. Account recovery options are always a great idea, but doing…
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Scanning IDs — Making Fakes Easier
This is a post from an earlier version of my site, moved to the current version for maximum enjoyment. Originally posted 2018-03-08 -Bob Not long before I procured my wonderful license, they were printed pieces of paper with a photograph attached, then laminated. For both security and durability reasons, all states have moved away from…
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How to Scam Garage Sale Sites with Gift Cards
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: The title is correct, this is how to scam users of garage sale groups. The intended audience, however, is victims and group administrators. The goal here is to convey how easy it is to defraud people into purchasing gift cards, and why they should not be allowed for sale in these groups.…
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Function: Identify Image
This is from a very old post of mine, posted for archival purposes. Ever decide you had to hide an image file and you decide to change the extension to something like “.exe”, or perhaps, you used something like Signal messenger and downloaded an image but it didn’t have a valid extension? Back in 2013,…