CLPEX Chat Board

Anyone else see the lads trying to beat a door-lock scanner on 8/23?


Episode summary:
Episode 59: Crimes and Myth-Demeanors 2
It's "lights, camera, action!" time again for the MythBusters, as they test more Hollywood heists. This time, our cat burglars Adam and Jamie go cold as they try to beat a heat-detecting alarm sensor. Then it's on to motion-detector alarms. They also attempt to crack a door guarded by fingerprint technology, and face a monster safe that can only be opened by — you guessed it — an underwater explosion.
Premiere: Aug. 23, 2006

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythb ... isode.html

I saw it...and they did it! Not only did they do it, but they did it using the LATENT impression lifted of a CD. Basically lifting, then imaging, then etching into plate. They said they cut out a couple "critical" steps from the show in order not to help out any less than scrupulous person trying to recreate the process, but it was pretty easy to figure out where they went from there. They ended up with a mold of said fingerprint. Only problem was the scanner also detects body heat from the finger "as an added security measure". Nothing a little hot breathing on the mold wouldn't cure. They opened two of the top "never been broken, impossible to defeat, top o' the line" biometric fingerprint scanner locks with little trouble.

I saw this show on UK Discovery Channel last night.

WOW!

They obtained a latent print from a CD case using superglue and powder, cleaned it up using a black marker pen on an enlagement to more-clearly define the ridges. Then they used photo-etched copper circuit boards to make a mould and cast a couple of replica fingers which they tried on the "top of the range, never been beaten" biometric fingerprint lock.
They opened it using a latex replica of a finger....so what? I expected that to work especially when they moistened it and put it over a real finger.
They did it with a gelatin replica...so what? This is nothing new.

So why the WOW!?

"Just for fun" they went back to their original idea. A life-size photocopy of the cleaned-up latent print. THE DOOR OPENED!!!!!
How in hell did they get that to work?

I'm off to go try this myself on the locks on our lab door. I'll let you know how I get on later.

Well, I tried it.

Even with a proper mirror image it didn't get me into my office.
Trouble is....I now doubt the integrity of a show I have been enjoying for two years.

David

Didn't I see this on MacGyver? He used a latent print from a wine glass, I think.