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I think the feature is fairly compelling in this case. Smart locks allow airbnb hosts to grant limited entry to guests without sharing their house keys. Any fre

I think the feature is fairly compelling in this case. Smart locks allow airbnb hosts to grant limited entry to guests without sharing their house keys. Any frequent airbnb renter runs the risk of their keys being duped and used for illicit access later on. While the implementation still needs work (obviously), the core idea is sound.

graphitezepp 9y ago
My neo-luddite instincts told me to agree with parent, but you make a good point. Copying keys is trivial (I used an automated booth in a pharmacy that was android based the other week, cost like 10 bucks for 3 copies) when having to deal with potentially malicious guests adding complexity to the simple act of locking serves a real purpose.
- rhombocombus 9y ago
  My initial reaction on reading this was "Bahahahah stupid smart locks, internet of shit blah blah blah," but I am compelled to agree with your statement. Any lock is merely a deterrent, and adding complexity to a deterrent inherently increases it's security, especially when the threat profile of a door lock is generally "idiot burglar."
  - myusernameisok 9y ago
    For the most part, adding complexity to anything increases the chance of failure. For average people (who don't generally give out their keys) it's not a great idea, but for airbnb hosts, making a key that is hard to copy is a good idea. However, I've seen some airbnbs that have a pin door code or a key fob, which are arguably more secure than a regular key lock but have less chance of failure in my experience.
MBCook 9y ago
Sounds like the argument for locks that are easy to re-key and doing it yourself after each guest.
- busterarm 9y ago
  There are lock brands that have service keys that will allow you to pull and change a cylinder, from the outside, without having to take the door/lock apart. A property management company and a set of cylinders to rotate through solves this problem easily.
mikeash 9y ago
Worth noting that nearly every hotel has used smart locks for years. This is essentially the same.
- busterarm 9y ago
  Every hotel has on-prem staff for dealing with faulty locks and keys. Many Airbnb owners do not.
- CaptainZapp 9y ago
  Not always successfully, though : https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120823/10320820137/hotel-lock-company-wants-hotels-to-pay-fixing-their-hackable-product.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120823/10320820137/hotel...
jlgaddis 9y ago
I have a mechanical deadbolt with a keypad that can be opened by anyone with the right combination. It's handy when I'm not at home but need to let someone in. For Airbnb, etc., you'd have to change the combination regularly (which is easily done in about 30 seconds) but at least I don't have to worry about getting locked out if I forget my phone, it's battery is drained, cell service is out, etc.
- PeachPlum 9y ago
  What sort? I've seen types of those that look complex but can brute force in an hour or two.
zeep 9y ago
Although not as convenient as a smart lock, I can re-key my kwikset deadbolts to any key that fits the lock very easily using a provided tool: https://www.kwikset.com/smart-security.aspx https://www.kwikset.com/smart-security.aspx .

graphitezepp 9y ago

My neo-luddite instincts told me to agree with parent, but you make a good point. Copying keys is trivial (I used an automated booth in a pharmacy that was android based the other week, cost like 10 bucks for 3 copies) when having to deal with potentially malicious guests adding complexity to the simple act of locking serves a real purpose.

rhombocombus 9y ago
My initial reaction on reading this was "Bahahahah stupid smart locks, internet of shit blah blah blah," but I am compelled to agree with your statement. Any lock is merely a deterrent, and adding complexity to a deterrent inherently increases it's security, especially when the threat profile of a door lock is generally "idiot burglar."
- myusernameisok 9y ago
  For the most part, adding complexity to anything increases the chance of failure. For average people (who don't generally give out their keys) it's not a great idea, but for airbnb hosts, making a key that is hard to copy is a good idea. However, I've seen some airbnbs that have a pin door code or a key fob, which are arguably more secure than a regular key lock but have less chance of failure in my experience.

MBCook 9y ago

Sounds like the argument for locks that are easy to re-key and doing it yourself after each guest.

busterarm 9y ago
There are lock brands that have service keys that will allow you to pull and change a cylinder, from the outside, without having to take the door/lock apart. A property management company and a set of cylinders to rotate through solves this problem easily.

mikeash 9y ago

Worth noting that nearly every hotel has used smart locks for years. This is essentially the same.

busterarm 9y ago
Every hotel has on-prem staff for dealing with faulty locks and keys. Many Airbnb owners do not.
CaptainZapp 9y ago
Not always successfully, though : https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120823/10320820137/hotel-lock-company-wants-hotels-to-pay-fixing-their-hackable-product.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120823/10320820137/hotel...

jlgaddis 9y ago

I have a mechanical deadbolt with a keypad that can be opened by anyone with the right combination. It's handy when I'm not at home but need to let someone in. For Airbnb, etc., you'd have to change the combination regularly (which is easily done in about 30 seconds) but at least I don't have to worry about getting locked out if I forget my phone, it's battery is drained, cell service is out, etc.

PeachPlum 9y ago
What sort? I've seen types of those that look complex but can brute force in an hour or two.

zeep 9y ago

Although not as convenient as a smart lock, I can re-key my kwikset deadbolts to any key that fits the lock very easily using a provided tool: https://www.kwikset.com/smart-security.aspx https://www.kwikset.com/smart-security.aspx .