The Apple Store’s $330 Level Lock Plus smart lock isn’t as secure as you’d think
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Many Apple Store gadgets like iPhones, iPads and Macs are known for their reliable security features. Unfortunately, not all the technology you find there apparently meets the same standards, as one YouTuber pointed out that the Level Lock Plus smart lock may not be as secure as its $330 price suggests.
The Level Lock Plus is a smart lock made by Level (not Apple) that is sold in Apple stores. Despite being a third-party accessory just like the Logitech iPad peripherals, it pairs wonderfully with Apple’s products as it’s designed to be used with them; the Level Lock Plus can be unlocked with any of the best iPhone or best Apple Watch devices, even if you forgot your real house key.
While this smart lock looks great for people who want to enhance the security of their home with a futuristic smart lock, YouTuber LockPickingLawyer (opens in new tab) released a video showing that the gadget can be plucked open in seconds.
The renowned online lock picker – who regularly demonstrates its ability to open almost any lock to its more than 4 million subscribers – starts by praising the fit and finish of the Level Lock Plus, before announcing that the actual locking mechanism has some major flaws. . Notably, it can be accessed quickly by two of the lowest skill selection methods out there.
The first method he uses to open the Level Lock Plus is called raking. As demonstrated in the video, raking uses two tools: a simple metal piece used to apply tension to the lock and a more jagged piece of metal called a rake. While holding the lock, a lock picker will quickly retract and extend the rake with a light up and down motion until it unlocks.
If this sounds pretty easy to do, you’d be right. Many lock picking blogs recommend raking as one of the first methods beginners should learn, saying that if you have the tools, the techniques can be learned in minutes and mastered quite quickly. The only downside is that many locks can’t be picked via rakes, as it’s a trick that should only really work on the most basic and least secure mechanisms – not the kind you’d expect to find for sale for $330.
To make matters worse, LockPickingLawyer used a second technique to break open the Level Lock Plus called punching. This method is based on a special impact wrench with a rubber ring on it; you tighten it with a similar tool used in the raking example and then hit the end with a hammer until you open the lock.
Bouncing is another technique that is incredibly easy to learn and like raking, you can pick up all the necessary tools for under $50.
As if all that wasn’t devastating enough, LockPickingLawyer even claimed that he might be able to kick the lock open because the Level Lock Plus’ bolt is hollow – that’s where the battery is. He couldn’t test this in the video he uploaded, but said he could post an update to see if the even less advanced break-in technique can be used to bypass the Level Lock Plus.
The LockPickingLawyer video should remind us that not all home security technology is as good as the more traditional alternatives out there. As exciting as it is to unlock your front door with your smartphone, it will be a lot less fun to discover that it has been broken into using tools that cost a fraction of the price with a trick that leaned the burglar from a YouTube in five minutes. video.
We contacted Level about the issues LockPickingLawyer found in his testing, although they did not immediately respond to our request for comment. If we hear anything, we’ll be sure to update this piece with his statement.