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A Kensington Security Slot (also called a K-Slot or Kensington lock) is part of an
The system consists of a small, metal-reinforced hole found commonly on small or portable computers and electronics equipment such as laptops, computer monitors, desktop computers, gaming consoles, and
While Kensington locks can discourage quick grab-and-run, opportunistic thefts of equipment from public locations such as coffee shops or libraries, they are not designed to be impervious protection measures or intended to secure equipment in unattended locations, as they can be torn out of equipment, the cases of which are typically plastic or thin metal (albeit not without visibly damaging the equipment), and the cable can be cut with
A Kensington Security Slot (also called a K-Slot or Kensington lock) is part of an anti-theft system
Anti-theft systems protect valuables such as vehicles and personal property like wallets, phones, and jewelry. They are also used in retail settings to protect merchandise in the form of security tags and labels. Anti-theft systems include devices ...
designed in the mid 1980s and patented by Kryptonite in 1999–2000,''Security anchor/tether assemblage for portable articles'': and (Cornelius McDaid, John Ristuccia, Kryptonite Corporation - priority date: 1999-06-21) assigned to Schlage in 2002, and since 2005 owned and marketed by Kensington Computer Products Group, a division of ACCO Brands
ACCO Brands Corporation is an American multinational company and is one of the world's largest designers, manufacturers, and marketers of premium business, technology, academic, and consumer products. It was created by the merger of ACCO World ...
.
Description
The system consists of a small, metal-reinforced hole found commonly on small or portable computers and electronics equipment such as laptops, computer monitors, desktop computers, gaming consoles, and video projector
A video projector is an image projector that receives a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens system. Video projectors use a very bright ultra-high-performance lamp (a special mercury arc lamp), X ...
s, combined with a metal anchor attached to a rubberized metal cable secured with a key or combination lock. The end of the cable has a small loop that allows the cable to be looped around a permanent object, such as a heavy table or other similar equipment.
The hole is found in most laptops, although a lock for it is typically not included. Occasionally, the slot is located so that installing a lock will also prevent the removal of a valuable subcomponent, such as a rechargeable battery or a memory module. The Kensington slot may be marked with a small icon that looks like a padlock with a capital "K", or the slot may be unlabelled.
Security
While Kensington locks can discourage quick grab-and-run, opportunistic thefts of equipment from public locations such as coffee shops or libraries, they are not designed to be impervious protection measures or intended to secure equipment in unattended locations, as they can be torn out of equipment, the cases of which are typically plastic or thin metal (albeit not without visibly damaging the equipment), and the cable can be cut with wire
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
or bolt cutters. More simply, the non-locking, loop end of the cable is dependent upon the availability of a suitable anchoring point on a virtually immovable base object, or a thief may just shift that object, and then take the protected device with cable attached.
The lock mechanism is typically a tubular pin tumbler lock
A tubular pin tumbler lock, also known as a circle pin tumbler lock, radial lock, or the trademark Ace lock popularized by manufacturer Chicago Lock Company since 1933, is a variety of pin tumbler lock in which a number of pins are arranged in a c ...
or, less frequently, a flat key lock or numeric combination lock with no key.
Alternatives
Several manufacturers offer similar locking mechanisms that do not require a special lock hole. They attach to a popular port, such as the VGA or printer port, and have special screws to secure locks in place.References
External links
* {{Locksmithing Locks (security device) ACCO Brands