Don’t Put All Your Faith in Key Duplicating Apps Just Yet

​There is absolutely nothing fun or convenient about the process of getting locked out of your home or car. Whether you’ve lost the key or accidentally left the key inside of the car, the process of being locked out is by no means a good time. Typically in a situation as such, you would call a trusted locksmith in Northern Liberties to remedy the situation for you. However, a few startups have been created, launching in cities throughout the United States that were set to disrupt this industry.

New York-based startup, KeyMe and San Francisco-based KeysDuplicated, are iOS and Android friendly apps that allow users to digitally scan and store images of their keys. Then, when you are locked out of your car or home, you simply access one of the KeyMe or KeysDuplicated kiosks and use the stored picture to make an instant copy of your key. This kiosk can copy any type of key, from key fobs to car keys, including the transponder. While this may sound like a dream come true, it essentially poses a great risk.

The convenience is there; however, the images that you scanned are stored on a cloud. If there is one thing we’ve learned over the past few months, even years, it’s that cloud based technology is not 100% safe. Numerous people have had their phones and clouds hacked, making all of their “private” information available to whomever possess it. This means hackers now have access to duplicate your house keys, car transponders, and key fobs. Locks are meant to provide security, yet a complete stranger having access to these features defeats the purpose. It’s not an ideal scenario.
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While these services claim they do not keep address information tied to the keys, credit cards and other personal information are linked to the keys within the app. Therefore, there is still room for vulnerability within the app. Yes, these apps sound good in theory, but they don’t replace the good old-fashioned customer service and safety that your neighborhood locksmith provides.

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