How to Hire a Good Locksmith

With just about every service available today for your home, vehicle, or business, there is the chance you will run into a scammer or have to deal with a scam. Particularly when it comes to locksmithing, there is a chance you may end up hiring a locksmith that damages your home or vehicle locks, only making the problem worse. This may threaten your safety, or also potentially put your family in danger. To hire a good locksmith you will be able to trust, there are several things you can keep in mind.

#1 - Make Sure They are Certified
This should be the number one thing you look for when it comes to hiring a locksmith. Non-certified locksmiths are particularly dangerous to work with since you have no idea what skills or credentials they actually hold. A certified locksmith has been through a particular set of training in order to qualify them to change, repair, fix, and install residential, commercial, and vehicle locks. They also typically undergo a state exam and have been through a series of on-the-job training with professionals before becoming officially certified. Going with a certified locksmith is the only way to ensure that your repairs are done correctly and no damage is done to existing structures around your locks.
#2 – They Have Insurance
Insurance is critical for a locksmith to carry. This protects them as the contractor, but also helps protect you as the customer. This is a great sign if a locksmith is insured and can help give both parties peace of mind. For some reason, if something goes wrong during a locksmithing job that is in no way your fault, you know you will be protected.

#3 – They Are Bonded
Depending on the quality locksmith you choose, they should be bonded. This may mean one of two things. One type of bond is known as a surety bond. A surety bond guarantees that a job will be completed. If a commercial building owner, for example, hired a locksmith to replace deadbolt locks in the building, a locksmith might issue a surety bond. This ensures that the job will get done. If for some reason the locksmith is not able to complete the job, the surety bond can be used to go towards another locksmith that can complete it. This shows a great deal of dedication on the part of a locksmith because regardless of what happens, they are making sure the locksmithing requests you make are done in a quality and timely fashion.
The second type of bond is called a guaranty bond. Guaranty bonds are specific to the individual locksmiths that may work for a locksmithing company. These types of bonds promise that the locksmith working on any job is trustworthy. If for some reason, the client is stolen from or somehow the customer is hurt during a locksmithing job, they will be reimbursed fully. This is similar to and may be seen as part of liability insurance that locksmiths carry.

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What to Do if You are Locked Out of Your Home, Business, or Vehicle

Getting locked out can be one of the most stressful events to happen to us, especially if other people, children, or animals are involved. Lockouts happen every day to even the most careful and conscientious people. With how busy and rushed life has become in our modern era, it is not uncommon to find that hurrying or rushing, for example, might be the cause of a vehicle or home lockout. Luckily, there are several things you can do if you do ever experience a lockout and you are certainly neither stupid nor helpless if you do find yourself locked out. The following article will give you an overview of some common lockout scenarios, their solutions, and what you can do if you are involved in a lockout or some other locksmithing emergency.

Home Lockouts
Getting locked out of your home can happen in an instance. Maybe you went to go grab the morning paper or retrieve mail from the mailbox, and upon trying to re-enter your home, you find that the door has shut and locked behind you, leaving you stranded.
In this circumstance, luckily, you know your home best. Try and think if there is another entry point that is unlocked that you might easily be able to get through in order to get back into your home. Do not try to re-enter your home by breaking a window, prying open a door, or any other force to try and get back inside. This could not only cause severe damage to your home, but you could potentially injure yourself.
Many families keep a hidden key on the outside of their home or with a trusted neighbor in the event that a family member experiences a lockout. If you have not already, consider preventative measures for home lockouts and find a way to securely hide a key on the outside of your home, where only your family members will know where to find it.

Business Lockouts
Owning a business can be stressful in and of itself, but especially so if business owners or building managers are dealing with lockout situations. First and foremost, the good news is, is that businesses may have multiple employees with keys that allow for entrance into the main building. If you are trying to solve a business lockout scenario, check with some of your other colleagues, managers, or employees to see if they may be able to come unlock the building.
If you experience lockouts frequently as a business owner, you may want to consider upgrading to a different kind of lock. If missing or misplaced keys have been the source of lockouts for your business, you and your employees may greatly benefit from access control or smart locks of some sort. For example, upgrading to a combination lock for your business would omit the need to give employees keys or access cards. A simple pin is all that would be needed to open the building’s main doors and other corridors. You may want to speak with your local locksmith about upgrading to avoid lockouts from your business in the future.

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Quick Norcross Locksmiths at Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC | (678) 671-2370

Whenever you are looking for a #locksmith in Norcross, GA that you can trust to be there when you need them, contact Norcross Locksmith LLC.

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Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC: When to Replace Locks

Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC is here to provide information on when locks should be replaced. Of course, a lock isn’t like a light bulb that is going to have to be changed rather often. It’s not like the filter in your refrigerator that you have to watch out for. But locks still do have to be replaced every so often, and we can provide you with information on signs that it is time for a lock replacement.

There are certain scenarios which can arise that would indicate it is time to replace your locks. For one, if you move into a new place, you should have the locks changed out. This is something the previous owner might not have done or might not have been able to do, on account of contractors and brokers and agents having a copy of their key. When you move, you should have the locks replaced. You just don’t know who still has access to a key and would otherwise be able to get into your now home.

Lost House Key

If you lose your house key, you should have the locks replaced. In a best case scenario, a good person would pick up the key and try to return it to you. But you always have to be cautious, and in a worst case scenario, someone could potentially figure out whose house the key belongs to. You’ve heard stories of people being followed home while out running errands – be cautious and just change the locks! In some cases, a rekey might be possible. This is something that you should speak with a locksmith in your area about. If you happen to be in or near Norcross, GA, of course our local experts can help you for a reasonable price – we offer very competitive rates, as do most locksmiths!

Break-In

Another reason to replace your locks would be a break-in. This, like the other instances we are describing, would apply to one’s home, office or vehicle. Any property that is broken into is going to need new locks installed. A burglary is a difficult enough thing to deal with. There have been people who have had their most prized possessions stolen, like jewelry that was passed down from generation to generation. It is a horrible, invasive thing to experience, but if you have gone through this awful scenario, it is important to amp up your security. A locksmith can help you to do this, and they will start by replacing your locks. Perhaps if you did not previously have an alarm system installed, you are going to want one. Or maybe you will want added layers of security, like deadbolts. Maybe you will even want to go keyless. Talk to a locksmith about these things.

Divorce or Relationship Ending

If you go through a divorce, have your locks changed! Even if your divorce has been quite amicable, it is important to note that emotions can run high. It is not a bad idea to have the locks changed.

Lock Damage – Wear and Tear or Break-in

If there was damage to your locks, you should have them changed. This can occur because of a break in, or it could occur for other reasons. You will notice that your key doesn’t slip in as easily, or maybe you can see indications of damage taking place or having already taken place. Either way, you don’t want locks that are falling apart and therefore don’t offer any security. Have the locks replaced!


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We hired ethical hackers to hack a family's smart home — here's how it turned out

by Luke Denne, Greg Sadler, Makda Ghebreslassie

Vulnerabilities revealed in smart home devices prompt 1 manufacturer to immediately beef up protections

image from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/smart-home-hack-marketplace-1.4837963

Security was a key consideration for Kenwood and Yarema when they shopped for their devices. So the couple was shocked by how easily a team of ethical, or "white hat", hackers hired by Marketplace took control of their devices — a series of tests done with the family's permission.

Normally hired to check the security of complex IT systems, the team from Scalar Decisions was instead tasked with testing the security of the family's smart home.

Could smart home devices be vulnerable to hackers? Earlier, CBC Marketplace's Makda Ghebreslassie and security expert Theo Van Wyk answered your questions.

 Sitting in a van on the street outside, the Scalar team managed to crack the family's Wi-Fi password in less than two hours. The same password had been used to set up the thermostat, allowing them to remotely turn the heat up or off completely.

'We have a child in here'

The hackers then turned their attention to the family's front door. Using a sophisticated phishing email, the ethical hackers managed to trick Kenwood into giving them her log-in details for her home hub.

The family uses a Wink Connected Home Hub, allowing them to control their lights and front door with a smartphone app.

After receiving the email, Kenwood believed she was logging onto the Wink website, when instead she was handing her password over to the hackers. With full access to her account, they were able to unlock the couple's front door and enter the home.

That password had also been used by Kenwood across other accounts, including the family's Nest security cameras, allowing the team to log in and view what was happening inside the home.

And it gave the hackers the ability to send voice commands to the couple's Amazon Echo, where they could potentially place Amazon orders using Kenwood's stored credit card information.

"It's terrifying that they're able to get into so many devices," said Kenwood. "It's our home ... we have a child in here."

After seeing how their smart home could be hacked, the family's first step would be "taking the door lock off the Wi-Fi," said Yarema.

'Be alert for phishing emails'

Reusing the same password across multiple accounts — something many of us are likely guilty of — made the family's home less secure, said Arsenii Pustovit, leader of Scalar's ethical hacker team.

"You want to have different passwords for each of your online accounts," he said.

Since most of us struggle to remember multiple passwords, he suggests using something called a password manager. It generates complicated passwords for each of your online accounts, but you only have to remember one password — for the manager — to unlock them all.

Article Source:  We hired ethical hackers to hack a family's smart home — here's how it turned out

Related Article:  Glitch in Yale's smart security system sees Brits 'locked out' of homes


When a locksmith is needed for home use, always choose the best! Get a quote from Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC.

Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC: Transponder Keys: Potential Problems

Even though you may not know what a transponder key is, you most probably use at least one – and you use it quite frequently. The key you use to unlock and start your vehicle is a transponder key. Perhaps you noticed that the key contains something more than just the metal part. There, in that plastic case, the transponder resides. Without the transponder, your car will not start. A key that has a transponder which malfunctions is almost useless. We say almost because the key will still unlock the car in many cases, even when the transponder is malfunctioning.

Unfortunately, unlike traditional keys, transponder keys are quite sensitive. Not only do they require battery power to work, they can also get easily damaged. If you drop the key repeatedly, the transponder may malfunction. Sometimes, the transponder key may stop working for no obvious reason. In any case, you need to take action as soon as you notice that the transponder key is malfunctioning. If you don’t, you will end up not being able to start your car. Here at Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC, we are experts at working with this type of key. We can help you with anything from reprogramming the transponder to replacing it entirely. We may not know what the problem is when you call us, but we will quickly dispatch a specialist to your location with all the necessary tools and equipment. Our locksmiths have years of experience working with transponder keys, so rest assured that we will be able to help you right away.

How Do Transponder Keys Work Exactly
A transponder key works via radio frequency. The transponder inside the key communicates with your vehicle and sends the ignition codes to the onboard computer of the car. The codes are preprogrammed into the transponder or are generated and sent in a somewhat random fashion. In other words, it would be very difficult to dupe a vehicle to start if one does not know the proper codes. There are vehicles that will not even unlock if the transponder codes do not match with the ones the vehicle is expecting.

Because the transponder key lets the car know that the rightful owner is nearby, it should work flawlessly. If it malfunctions and sends the wrong codes, the vehicle will refuse to start or even unlock the doors.

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Why You Need a Gun Safe

No matter how responsible you think you are as a gun owner by registering your gun, you aren’t as responsible as you think you might be if you lack a gun safe to keep your gun from being stolen or used for the wrong reasons. In some places, having a gun without a safe is illegal. Everyone benefits from your having a gun safe, including you. Not everyone is as responsible with a gun as they should be. If you don’t already have a gun safe, perhaps you need some compelling reasons to purchase a gun safe. At Quick Norcross Locksmith LLC, in Norcross, GA, we have listed some of the top reasons for investing in a gun safe.

Safety
One of the biggest reasons for you to keep your gun in a safe is for safety purposes. You have to think about what could occur if your gun fell into the wrong hands and was used to harm someone. There are a lot of problems that you might experience as a result of having your gun fall into the wrong hands. On many occasions small children have been known to play with guns and they have accidentally fired them and killed or harmed someone. If you don’t ever want this to happen to you, get yourself a gun safe.

Having your gun inside of a glass gun safe isn’t enough to keep them out of the wrong hands. Just imagine someone breaks into your home and they see your firearms on display. Do you honestly think they will not break the glass to get what they want? There are better ways of putting your firearms on display. Why not consult with one of our locksmiths to find out what others use to display their gun collection.

Some states will also require your gun safe to have a locking device on them to make sure that the safe is securely locked. The device keeps the gun locked in place until a key is used to release it. This offers added protection for you, as it prevents someone from taking your gun without the right key.

Protect Your Rights
Gun activists don’t think anyone with a gun is responsible, whether they have them locked up or not. They simply feel as though having a gun is a threat to public safety. Those who abide by all of the necessary gun laws are no exception to these activist. They simply do not feel as though anyone should be allowed to have a gun who is not in law enforcement. If someone were to take your gun and use it in a hold up or worse, a child were involved in a gun incident involving your gun, this would garner a lot of attention from the media. Activists would undoubtedly say that this proves their claims. In order to protect your 2^nd Amendment rights, you have to be responsible with your firearms by keeping them safely locked up.

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