61,000 biometric gun safes recalled over potentially deadly malfunction

[old lady new shooter]

Naperville, Illinois-based Fortress Safe announced the recall of nearly 61,000 biometric gun safes via the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), warning owners of the safes that despite believing they may have properly programmed a fingerprint feature that gives the owner access to their firearms, the safe is in fact left in the default open mode, enabling anyone to open it.

A recent lawsuit alleges that a 12-year-old boy died after accessing a firearm inside one of the safes in question. There have also been 39 consumer-reported incidents in which the safes were accessed with unpaired fingerprints.

The nine models included in the recall are the Fortress Portable Safe with Biometric Lock (11B20); Fortress Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock (44B10); Legend Range & Field Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock (44B10L); Fortress Medium Personal Safe with Biometric Lock (44B20); Fortress Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock (55B20); Fortress Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock (55B30); Gettysburg Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock (55B30G); Cabela’s 4 Gun Safe with Biometric Lock (4BGGBP); and Cabela’s Biometric Personal Safe (55B30BP).

All the recalled safes were manufactured in China and imported and distributed by Xpedition LLC, dba Fortress Safe.

link to the full recall notice: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/F...y-Hazard-and-Risk-of-Death-One-Death-Reported

link to get a replacement from the company: https://t.co/XboDGoSFAj

Personally, as a former software developer and systems analyst, I would NEVER have a biometric ANYTHING.

 

[alfsauve]

And I would always wonder if there wasn’t some “back door” pattern that would open any of their safes, regardless of user programmming. A manufactures emergency barcode say.

 

[lightman]

Technology is wonderful until it isn't!

Hopefully the manufacture will get this problem corrected.

 

[Hartkopf]

I would never trust a biometric anything but if I did have to use one, I would test it thoroughly. Make sure it opens with my paired prints and NOT open with any unpaired prints.

 

[Mike in Western Oregon]

I don’t trust electronic crap made in China. I have used a V-line brand small safe with simple and reliable push-button simplex combo system for 10 years and it has always worked!

 

[Meeks36]

What happened to teaching youngins firearm safety? Growing up there was a single shot in the corner. And a 38 on the table next to the recliner. We knew better then to mess with them. Can’t forget the gun case that didn’t have a lock with various rifles and shotguns. And yes I know it’s a law in some states to have them locked up. Still need to teach them proper safety.

 

[Barmcd]

What happened to teaching youngins firearm safety? Growing up there was a single shot in the corner. And a 38 on the table next to the recliner. We knew better then to mess with them. Can’t forget the gun case that didn’t have a lock with various rifles and shotguns. And yes I know it’s a law in some states to have them locked up. Still need to teach them proper safety.

Because parenting today looks nothing like it did when most of us grew up.

 

[Double_J]

Biometric verification is good for 2 factor authentication. That means something you know like a combination and something you have like a fingerprint, key, etc. I don't trust biometric security as a stand-alone system as it is to easy to defeat. Mythbusters showed the basics of how to do it a number of years ago and it didn't take them long to do it either.

 

[Styx]

What happened to teaching youngins firearm safety? Growing up there was a single shot in the corner. And a 38 on the table next to the recliner. We knew better then to mess with them. Can’t forget the gun case that didn’t have a lock with various rifles and shotguns. And yes I know it’s a law in some states to have them locked up. Still need to teach them proper safety.

Some children listen and have common sense and there will be some who don't and will do the opposite of what their parents tell them when their parents aren't around.... That existed in every generation. I can assure you that a 12 year old child knows better than to sneak into their parent's safe, steal a gun, etc. (If that's really how the 12 year old obtained the firearm.)

IMHO the issue is now that firearms have been made into something tabo and/or an of limits "cool" via modern living standards in urban and suburban areas, video games, etc. Firearms are no longer just seen as a tool no different than a hammer, wrench, etc. When things are made to be taboo and off-limits for children, children are typical more drawn to and curious about them. I guess that goes for adults too.

 

[troy fairweather]

They suck plain and simple,

 

[Styx]

Plain and simple combination safes have worked for over a century. I don't know why people want to reinvent a more problematic wheel. First it was Liberty Safes having backdoor access to safes, and providing that information to government, and now this! When will people learn? Give me a simple combination safe that I know for a fact that only I will have access to.

 

[Scooter22]

Wait for the next generation AI lock safes. Gun owner "Safe, open door". Safe, "You fool. I hate guns and will never open door"........ Just wait.

 

[old lady new shooter]

Wait for the next Gen AI lock safes. Gun owner "Safe, open door". Safe, "You fool. I hate guns and will never open door"........ Just wait.

"Sorry Dave, I can't do that."

 

[Mike in Western Oregon]

 

[dartor]

Because parenting today looks nothing like it did when most of us grew up.

Amen to that.

 

[Rick McC.]

Because parenting today looks nothing like it did when most of us grew up.

Sad but oh so true!

 

[Beck]

I'll never use biometrics for anything.

Fingerprint access has been around for a long time. I never have and never will trust it to give me access to a safe when I need it, or to keep a firearm secure.

And about parenting... exactly! My dad taught me all about gun safety by the time I was 10. I in turn taught my two sons. I always had a gun safe when my kids were growing up, but not to keep guns away from them. They knew better.

 

[Meeks36]

Some children listen and have common sense and there will be some who don't and will do the opposite of what their parents tell them when their parents aren't around.... That existed in every generation. I can assure you that a 12 year old child knows better than to sneak into their parent's safe, steal a gun, etc. (If that's really how the 12 year old obtained the firearm.)

IMHO the issue is now that firearms have been made into something tabo and/or an of limits "cool" via modern living standards in urban and suburban areas, video games, etc. Firearms are no longer just seen as a tool no different than a hammer, wrench, etc. When things are made to be taboo and off-limits for children, children are typical more drawn to and curious about them. I guess that goes for adults too.

Kids nowadays ain’t worried about getting the butt tore up to the point they can’t sit down for a week. Me and all the grandkids knew if we touched something we weren’t allowed to and got caught. It would have ended badly. That’s called child abuse now. And i reckon it kinda is in a way. Soft parenting is ruining this country. That and lack of dads in households.