Travel

Those TSA-Approved Luggage Locks Aren't Safe Anymore

Published on 9/17/2015 at 6:15 PM

Flickr/reedwade

Know how you're only supposed to put TSA-approved locks on your luggage? Well, thanks to some enterprising hackers, anyone with a 3D printer can now make short work of those little red-badge-wearin' things.

The snafu started last year, when The Washington Post goofed by publishing detailed photos of the TSA's master keys (the ones they use to bypass those special locks). Whoops! The photos were eventually taken down, and it seemed as if disaster had been averted -- until a user named Xyl2k posted 3D designs of the keys on GitHub this Wednesday, for anyone with a 3D printer to reproduce at will.

According to the GitHub post, all but one of the keys have been successfully tested at least once. Here's video of one in action:

OMG, it's actually working!!! pic.twitter.com/rotJPJqjTg
— Bernard Bolduc (@bernard) September 9, 2015

The Intercept, "The reported ability to create keys for TSA-approved suitcase locks from a digital image does not create a threat to aviation security." As England went on to say, "These consumer products are ‘peace of mind’ devices, not part of TSA’s aviation security regime."

Cool story, bro. Maybe stop using these locks?

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(h/t Gizmodo)

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Gianni Jaccoma is a staff writer for Thrillist, and he doesn't know anyone who actually uses these things. Follow his questionable tweets @gjaccoma, and send your news tips to news@thrillist.com

Those TSA-Approved Luggage Locks Aren't Safe Anymore

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