Marc Weber Tobias | |
|---|---|
| Born | Marc Weber Tobias United States |
| Alma mater | University of Nebraska-Omaha Creighton Law School |
| Known for | Insecurity engineering |
Marc Weber Tobias is an Americanlawyer,writer, and researcher specializing insecurity systems, particularly locks and physical security mechanisms.[1][2][3] He is known for his work on lock designs and insecurity engineering.[4]
From an early age, Tobias developed an interest in disassembling objects to understand their functionality, which led him to focus on analyzing and testing the vulnerabilities of locks and security systems.[4][5]
Tobias earned abachelor's degree from theUniversity of Nebraska-Omaha in 1970 and aJuris Doctor fromCreighton Law School in 1973.[6]
In 2010, Tobias began investigating gun safe security following the accidental shooting of Ryan Owens, a three-year-old inVancouver, Washington.[7] The firearm involved was stored in an inexpensive safe provided by the county sheriff's office.[7] Tobias identified a design flaw that could allow unauthorized access, prompting him to evaluate the security of various low-cost gun safes.[7] He found that several safes priced between $75 and $200, manufactured in China were easily opened.[7] Methods used included gently bouncing the safe while lifting a corner with a finger and employing simple tools likepaper clips, wires, and straws to breach the locks.[7] As a result, Tobias filed a federalclass action lawsuit against Stack-On Corporation in 2012, which wasultimately settled by the manufacturer in theplaintiff favor.[8]
Tobias co-founded the Security Engineering Laboratory at theUniversity of Pittsburgh with Tobias Bluzmanis, where students study both technical and ethical considerations in discovering security vulnerabilities.[5] At the University of Pittsburgh'sSwanson School of Engineering, he teaches methods for detecting flaws in locks and other products, a field he refers to as insecurity engineering.[4][5]
Tobias has worked for many lock manufacturers in the U.S.,Europe, and theMiddle East. Hehas also worked with federal, state, and locallaw enforcement agencies.[9] He serves as the co-principal of Securitylaboratories.org.[9][10][11] Tobias is also a member of UL'stechnical standards panel for locks, safes, and alarms, where he contributes to the development of testing andcertification guidelines.[9]
Tobias is a member of several professional associations, such as theALOA Security Professionals Association,American Society for Industrial Security, FBI InfraGard, and theInternational Association for Identification (IAI). He also serves as a technical advisor to theAssociation of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE).[6]
As an attorney, Tobias works at Investigative Law Offices, P.C.[11][7] His practice focuses on technical fraud investigations and providing consultancy on security issues, including lock bypass techniques and analyzing security system flaws.[6]
In 1971, Tobias authored the first edition ofLocks, Safes, and Security: An International Police Reference which is considered as the bible for law enforcement and crime laboratories.[12][13] The book's second edition was published in 2000 which was reviewed by several security periodicals that includedASIS Security Management, and theJournal of Forensic Identification.[14][15]
In 2008, Tobias co-authoredOpen in Thirty Seconds: Cracking One of the Most Secure Locks in America which describes methods to defeatMedeco locks.[16][12][17]
In 2024, his eighth book,Tobias on Locks and Insecurity Engineering, was published byWiley. The book discusses the historical development of lock engineering and examines the progression of lock technologies, from traditional mechanical systems to modern digital codes. It discusses how increasing complexity in lock design can introduce new vulnerabilities.[4] The book was reviewed by theSecurity Management magazine and described as a "comprehensive engineering reference."[18]