“Deviant Ollam's talks are always first class.”
Deviant Ollam's overview of physical pentesting
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Deviant Ollam's talks are always first class. I also love this one, about physical pentesting in general: this video
I'll Let Myself In: Tactics of Physical Pen Testers
2.9M views · Dec 12, 2017 · 44:56 · 5 HN recommenders · 9 mentions · discussed 2018–2021
Deviant Ollam, head of a physical penetration testing team, presents tactics for getting into buildings, from bypassing door levers with a wire to defeating bank doors. He argues that physical security is often surprisingly weak.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN recommends it as an entertaining overview of physical pen testing, and cites it when threads discuss how easily doors and locks are bypassed.
“Deviant Ollam's talks are always first class.”HN comment, 2021
What Hacker News said 9
“many of the techniques listed in this (<1hr) video”
Quick physical pen testing tactics anyone can learn
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Simple physical penetration testing tactics are easy to learn and apply widely. These skills can be a quick way to have better security awareness, and can be a fun party trick. For example, many of the techniques listed in this (<1hr) video: this video
“is a fun YouTube video about physical pen testing”
Fun physical pen testing stories, like beating a bank door
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The internet brings a much bigger attack surface than local people who can reach a front door, and home users access the same openssh as companies do, but companies (can) afford stronger doors. "Most people's home doors can't withstand a hit from a sledgehammer" -> "we shouldn't talk about cryptographic weaknesses in case someone abuses them" is a stretch, the comparison does break down. [1] is a fun YouTube video about physical pen testing; one example at 13:45 in the video, the presenter is walking home from a bar, walks up to a locked high street bank, spits a mouthful of beer through the gap in the doors, triggers the presence sensor on the inside which lets people out, and the door opens and lets him in. [1] this video
“So many silly things leading to easy access.”
Many silly weaknesses giving easy physical access
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Reminded me of this talk. So many silly things leading to easy access. "I'll Let Myself In: Tactics of Physical Pen Testers" this video
“Check out this YouTube video [0] to see what I'm talking about.”
Shows how easily physical security is bypassed
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This is nowhere near being viable for real world use. Far more concerning is how easy it is to bypass most physical security measures. Forgetting about how easy it is to pick open most locks, many doors aren't even installed properly in the first place. Check out this YouTube video [0] to see what I'm talking about. [0] this video
“at around 18 minutes in he shows one of his employees(?) use a long bit of wire to pull the lever”
Demonstrates opening door levers with a wire
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>Wait, what? I can't find anything about door levers having this kind of security risk. I specifically remember this talk: this video at around 18 minutes in he shows one of his employees(?) use a long bit of wire to pull the lever and open the door in a matter of seconds.
“Some googling for links let me to this video, which seems relevant”
Relevant talk on physical pen testing tactics
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All those cabinets use the same key across cities as well! Otherwise FEMA and other services would be unable to function. For the same reason all LEO handcuffs use the same key, so that any officer could release any handcuffed individual. Edit: Some googling for links let me to this video, which seems relevant: I'll Let Myself In: Tactics of Physical Pen Testers this video
“Surprisingly relevant”
Physical security is often weak
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They don't even need to be internet-accessible, physical security is often weak as well. Surprisingly relevant: this video
“lock picking is usually far down on their list because there are easier ways to open many doors without picking the lock.”
Pen testers say lock picking is rarely the easiest way in
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Going by a presentation from a professional pen tester lock picking is usually far down on their list because there are easier ways to open many doors without picking the lock. this video Someone who wants to get in is probably already on his way out while LPL is only halfway through with the lock.