Locksmithing began as the science and art of making and defeating locks. A lock

Lock (device)

A lock is a mechanical or electronic fastening device that is released by a physical object or secret information , or combination of more than one of these....

 is a mechanism that secures buildings, rooms, cabinets, objects, or other storage facilities. A key

Key (lock)

A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock. A typical key consists of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. The blade is usually intended to...

 is often used to open a lock. Means of opening a lock may include a security token

Security token

A security token may be a physical device that an authorized user of computer services is given to ease authentication...

 or two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is an approach to authentication which requires the presentation of two different kinds of evidence that someone is who they say they are. It is a part of the broader family of multi-factor authentication, which is a defense in depth approach to security...

 for greater security, such as requiring both something a person knows (a combination) and something they have (a key or keycard).

The oldest known lock was approximately 4,000 years old and was of Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

ian make.