In June 2020, Dominic Villeneuve woke up and went to his basement workshop to play with a new toy. A friend gave a lock from a door in a building to the director of cybersecurity at the insurance company. The Schlage CO-100 commercial-grade, keypad-operated deadbolt, which retails for about $400 and carries a Grade 1 security rating, is the highest bestowed by the American National Standards Institute and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association.
Most homes have Grade 3 or 2 locks. One million open-close cycles, eight blows starting at 80 joules, and five minutes of grinding with a bolt saw are some of the things that grade 1 locks are tested to endure. The electrical and mechanical parts of the CO-100 have been tested for resistance to wear and tear, weather, and abuse. He knew he could get it unlocked. He knew he could beat it.
