Introduction to the Power of Disorientation in Security
Security professionals need rich and multifaceted experience to observe problems from multiple angles, which benefits their work. In this article, I want to discuss learning from the world around us, from things that may seem ancient but are still widely used somewhere in the world today—animal traps. What is interesting and worth learning from these primitive tools, and how can they be useful for locks and safes?
Historical Significance of Traps
Traps in Ancient Times
Since the days of hunting and gathering, when humans did not yet have iron or fire, traps played a crucial role in their survival, especially in catching large animals, aside from violent methods.
Modern Engineering and Primitive Tools
Learning from Servo Valves
Any automation or mechatronics engineer knows about servo valves, which typically have two stages of amplification. These modern mechatronic devices are always present in pneumatic and hydraulic systems. The principle of servo valves is quite simple: they design two dynamic balance processes—one with a high power capacity as the energy flow and one with a low power capacity as the signal flow. Disrupting the balance of the control flow with very little energy will cause a disruption in the operational flow, but at this point, the operational flow power is significantly amplified, similar to a lever trap. Whether this concept is learned from a lever trap is uncertain, but if you understand how both work, you cannot help but question their connection. Many things in engineering, under the guise of high technology, may be similarly related to primitive creations by ancient humans.
Locking Mechanisms as Modern Traps
Safes and Re-Locks
Locking mechanisms (relocks) in safes can be seen as traps that security engineers set up to catch the intruder’s drill when the attack area is only around the lock. If you share my perspective, you will see that a security engineer’s work is not much different from a hunter. They also track the prey’s traces, set traps, and wait, and it is crucial to self-critique and always be creative. Unlike hunters with bows, trappers do not see their prey; the whole scenario plays out in their minds, imagining how the trap works and where to set it. This is the most interesting and also the most tedious part of a security engineer’s job, repeating day after day to find vulnerabilities.
The Battle of Security Engineering
It is a battle, a real race between the righteous and the wicked. Acacia trees in the desert grow tall and thorny, and giraffes adapt by developing long necks and dexterous tongues to pick leaves.
Observing Nature for Security Insights
Learning from Desert Spiders
A desert spider knows how to arrange quartz stones at the entrance of its burrow to amplify the mechanical signals created by prey and transmit them to it via the silk threads it weaves. This is not just mechanics anymore; it is precisely sensing and communication, something that humans surely applied after the desert spider. It also knows how to distinguish between the vibrations caused by prey and those caused by wind and sand hitting the quartz stones. Filtering noise through filters like the Kamal filter, something humans invented much later, is done entirely instinctively by the spider. Observing nature is undoubtedly fascinating, and many of these observations are useful for a security engineer’s work.
Weaver Birds’ Decoy Techniques
Weaver birds, to deceive snakes that steal their eggs and chicks, create a decoy nest entrance leading to a dead end, while the main entrance closes automatically when the bird leaves the nest. Could this be related to modern key blocking techniques in safes?
Practical Applications in Security Design
Indigenous Bear Traps
Consider how indigenous people make their bear traps. Initially, thick boards were tightly joined to resist the bear, but this failed as the bear focused on breaking the gaps between the boards. Until they used thinner boards to make a trap box and sealed the gaps with resin, the bear became disoriented and began aimless destruction, eventually exhausting itself. The lesson here is that security products need to conceal initial directions and cues that might encourage the adversary. By doing so, even materials of lower specifications can protect the target, as discussed in this article.
Conclusion: The Power of Disorientation in Security
Advice: If you are a security engineer, it may seem unrelated, but you should have a copy of “The Survival Handbook.” For more detailed information, you should have a set of “Britannica.” Observing and learning from nature, ancient practices, and modern engineering principles can enhance security designs, making them more effective at disorienting and deterring intruders.
