Hacking computers, picking locks and otherwise manipulating modern technology makes up an average day for members of Penn State 2600.
Penn State 2600 is a new club this semester that is "a part of a worldwide community of people who want to have fun with technology and enjoy being intellectually challenged," said club founder and President Nick Leghorn (junior-security and risk analysis). Penn State 2600 devoted its meeting Friday to the art of lock picking. About 30 students sat in a circle in the HUB-Robeson Center around a box of closed locks, utilizing different tools provided to pick them.
The purposed of the workshop was to raise security awareness, not to promote criminal mischief, Leghorn said, adding he wanted participants to learn "locks should never be relied on. They are only designed to slow people down."
Shawn Carrier (sophomore-division of undergraduate studies) had a hard time opening the locks.
"I'll probably buy my own tools. After all, practice makes perfect," Carrier said.
Leghorn cleared the workshop with Judicial Affairs and University Police. Neither group opposed.
However, about 45 minutes in to the meeting, a member of University Police came to speak with Leghorn about the seemingly mischievous workshop. Satisfied with the group's intent, the police officer left.
"Most of these students are going to be designing security systems, and it's not taught as well as it should that locks are a failure. We're trying to educate them about that vulnerability," Leghorn said.
The group discussed other locks' weaknesses. Penn State dorm rooms are safe, Ryan Misner (senior-information sciences and technology and security and risk analysis) said.
"They have fake sets, which are pins that don't do anything in the lock," Misner said. "This makes it nearly impossible to pick them."
Leghorn added Penn State uses secure Best Access Systems Locks.
"They are some of the best I've seen in a while. It's a matter of that one guy knowing that one trick about that one lock, most are fine," he said.
Students can alter some simple daily habits to increase their security, Leghorn said. He said though swipe card systems are pretty safe, allowing piggybackers nulls this security.
Also students should use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and non-English symbols in their passwords to deter hacking. Anti-virus programs are pivotal as well, he said.
