Biometric Gun Safe Combines Security with Quick Access

Written by CK on May 17, 2011 · Leave a Comment

iStock 000016146459XSmallMany people own guns for security, and wouldn’t want their security measures to backfire.  Recreational gun owners don’t want their guns getting into the wrong hands either.  It is important in either case to secure your guns with a gun safe.  In addition, having a biometric gun safe can fully safeguard your guns without the added annoyance of taking 5 minutes just to open the safe up.  Let’s look at some pros and cons of having a biometric safe for your guns.

If someone were to break into your house and take a gun and, in the process, hurt himself with that gun, you could be liable.  We live in a pretty strange world, no?  He could also hurt you, the owner of the gun, in a twist of irony.  It’s vitally important to have the guns secured.  The top shelve of a closet simply won’t do.

It’s also important in such an event, or always if you’re impatient, to have ready access to the gun.  Biometric safes are ideal in that situation.  Depending on what type you get, it will scan your retina or fingerprint almost instantly and give you access to what is inside.  No more fiddling with a dial and forgetting where you put the combination that you never memorized.

There are a few downsides to a biometric gun safe.  Except in the case of the more expensive models, they are intended only for guns.  They are not fireproof or waterproof, so putting documents, keepsakes, or pictures in this safe would probably not be a good idea.

The technology of a biometric gun safe also comes for a price.  Biometric gun safes are typically more expensive than their conventional alternatives.  Biometric technology has gotten a lot cheaper over the last few decades, but it is still pretty cutting edge.

A biometric gun safe could be perfect for your needs.  Once you weigh the pros and cons, you will be ready to make the decision that’s appropriate for your home.

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Could a Thief Fool Your Biometric Safe?

Written by CK on May 2, 2011 · Leave a Comment

iStock 000001769918XSmallBiometric safe companies typically tolerate a 1% error.  That means that 1/100 times, an intruder could find a glitch in the system and access the contents of your safe.  For many people, 1% is understandably not enough security.  For them, it is important to choose a biometric device that requires multi-factor authentication for access.  This will provide a more appropriate level of security.

Standard biometric safes come with a single fingerprint or retina scan.  Shockingly, many of these can be fooled by photocopy of the registered fingerprint or retina.  This means that will a cheap photocopier and a blank piece of paper, along with a little field work, intruders could steal anything valuable in your safe, or access your home security system if it is operated by a standard biometric design.

Multi-factor authentication is the answer to these problems.  In multi-factor authentication, access isn’t granted until multiple needs are met.  Perhaps there’s a password or passcode that needs to be typed in.  Or a code word or phrase that the system analyzes first for the correct words and then for the registered voice inflexion.  There are also the biometric components – the fingerprint or whole hand scan, one or two eye scan, or whole face scan.  Some units also require you to present a badge for scanning that came with the device.

Layers, even redundant ones, of security are important here.  By themselves, any one of these requirements could be fairly simply to crack.  But the combination of them will really make trying to break into a multi-factor authentication biometric safe quite a challenge.

With a more sophisticated safe employing multi-factor authentication, you can rest assured that the contents of your safe are protected.  Perhaps you’re even encouraged to explore the application of these ideas to your home or office security, because you can’t really put a price on being safe.

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Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Biometric Locks

Written by CK on April 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment

iStock 000005664170XSmallIt’s great that you have decided or are still deciding to switch your door locks to biometric design.  They really provide a level of security that’s unmatched by conventional locks.  But there’s a few things you should keep in mind when you go about purchasing your biometric door locks.  Among them are style, guest features, and power system.  Once you keep in mind, you can make truly informed decisions that will make you happy with your biometric door locks for years to come.

Chances are, you won’t want a biometric door lock design that looks like knobs from Fort Knox.  You will want a design that matches the style of your house.  More and more, companies have kept this in mind when designing their biometric door locks.  You will find that you have lots of choices in design, especially if you include the internet in your search.  Local stores so often don’t have display or storage space all the designs a company makes, or offers biometric door locks from only one company.

You will definitely want to pay attention to the guest features on the biometric lock designs you are looking at.  If you have babysitters, house or pet sitters, even infrequently, you will want to have a biometric lock designed such that you can register their fingerprints for a set amount of time and then perhaps you want these fingerprint entries to be deleted so that they don’t have access to your house all the time.  Also, if you regularly have house guests, you will want to have a way to register their fingerprints.  If you have lots of people come to your house, you’ll want to have a lock that can store enough fingerprint entries for your needs.

You also need to look at the power mechanism for the biometric lock.  Most are powered from batteries.  Many make the mistake of buying a cheaper biometric lock that has to be powered by cheap batteries that you will throw away all the time, at least that’s what it’ll feel like, instead of longer lasting, rechargeable batteries, or even a solar powered design.

Changing over to biometric locks can be a great idea for home security.  Now that you’ve read this article, you know a little more of what to look at so that you don’t get stuck with a biometric lock that you resent.

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Biometric Safe a Smart Choice for Peace of Mind

Written by CK on April 3, 2011 · Leave a Comment

There are many good reasons to invest in a home safe – security, peace of mind, keeping your valuables in case of fire, flood, or electrical shock.  Biometric home safes can provide that extra level of safety and peace of mind.  This article will take a look at some things to consider as you choose the biometric home safe that will be ideal for your needs.

Biometric design is adding an extra level of security that homeowners really appreciate.  Studies have shown that with traditional safes, most owners keep the combinations hidden within five feet of the safe.  They do that because they can’t memorize the combination and don’t want to bother with walking a far distance once they’ve decided they want to open their safe.  With biometric security instead, all you have to do is swipe your fingerprint and the safe will open, depending on the brand, usually in 3 seconds or less.  And if you want added security you can use a different biometric design instead of  the fingerprint scan, or perhaps another in addition.

Many biometric safes are marketed as gun safes, and so you must have a sharp eye out when you purchase your home safe.  Since owners of guns typically do not require their safes to be water, fire, and electric shock resistant, many biometric safes don’t have these features.  If you are a homeowner and will be storing important documents, photographs, or other valuables, you will want these guarantees.

Biometric safes are also powered by batteries, so you will want to know a few things about the designs before you purchase.  First, are they rechargeable batteries?  If so, how often do they need to be recharged?  Are they conventional batteries?  How long will each set last?  Also, you will want a safe that will not lose enrolled fingerprints when the batteries die.

Safes with biometric technology are the smart choices of homeowners today.  Make sure that you get the one that is perfect for you and not something you regret if the worst should happen.

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Is Your Biometric Door Lock Vulnerable?

Written by CK on March 19, 2011 · Leave a Comment

There are important safety considerations that you must weigh when choosing the right biometric door locks for your home or business.  After all, if you are changing your locks to biometric design, you want the ones you choose to be at the forefront in security.  This article will look at the aspects of security that you may or may not have already been thinking about when choosing a biometric door lock design.

Your biometric door lock is no stronger than its physical design.  If the locking mechanism is made from a rather flimsy metal, then it doesn’t matter what biometric hoops an intruder would have to jump through.  Instead, he’ll just break your door down and be done with it.  You need to look into what locking mechanism is employed for each of the prospective biometric designs – deadbolt, latch, or both.  You should also considering reinforcing your the door frames because the best door is only as strong as its weakest point, and often this is the frame itself.

You also need to consider which type of biometric security you want and at what quality.  Lower quality fingerprint and face scanners can be fooled by a photocopy.  You may also want to consider having redundant biometric systems, also know as a biometric system requiring muli-factor authentication, to ensure maximal security.

Finally, you need to consider if you want to have key access at all on your biometric locks.  Some homeowners prefer it so they can lend out a key to those visiting and not have to worry about enrolling their fingerprint or other biometric in the device and then worrying about deleting it later.  For others having key access, even for such a reason, would be a serious breach in the security they wish to maintain.

Security is important.  When buying biometric security, it is important to consider the related factors which will increase your overall security and not to scrimp on one aspect of the design and end up with an intruder in your home.

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