A couple initially expecting to pay less than 50 for a locksmith became victims of a "bait-and-switch scam" which ended up costing them more than 5,000, an investigation has found. The scam involves baiting a customer with an initial cheap quote before adding on hidden charges and carrying out unnecessary work that leads to spiralling costs. As part of the BBC's investigation, the company involved - 24/7 Locksmiths UK - was secretly filmed trying to charge up to 10 times the original quote for the job.
Vulnerabilities discovered by researchers in Dormakaba physical access control systems could have allowed hackers to remotely open doors at major organizations. The security holes were discovered by experts at SEC Consult, a cybersecurity consulting firm under Atos-owned Eviden, in Dormakaba's Exos central management software, a hardware access manager, and registration units that enable entry via a keypad, fingerprint reader, or chip card.
Home security has become a growing concern for UK households, and in 2026, many homeowners are taking a closer look at something that's often overlooked: their door locks. While alarms, cameras and lighting tend to dominate conversations around home security, experts are increasingly pointing to door locks as one of the most important - and vulnerable - parts of a property's defenses. As burglary methods evolve and older hardware struggles to keep up, upgrading door locks is quickly becoming a priority rather than an afterthought.
In the age of smart fobs and transponder chips, losing your keys isn't just a minor inconvenience; it can feel like a high-tech lockout from your own life. When the realization settles in, the clock starts ticking. Your first instinct might be to call the dealership, but that often leads to a massive towing bill and a multi-day wait for parts.
The $140 Lock Ultra works just like other retrofit smart locks if you're using it with a typical deadbolt. You swap it for the indoor thumb turn portion, and Bob is, as they say, your uncle. Where it differs is that for $20 more, it comes with an adapter kit that lets it work with jimmy-proof and mortise locks the same way the original SwitchBot lock worked with normal deadboltsrather than replacing your lock hardware, it slips over it and operates it for you.