A German inventor claims to have come up with a way to fight gun accidents and thefts: password protection.

The feature would prevent the device from firing if it doesn’t use a cartridge that has a matching password embedded. The cartridge could lock up after a preset amount of time or each time it's reloaded. The embedding would take place in the gun store.

29 Jun 2006

Given the trouble that most users have in remembering their computer passwords, gun passwords should make for comical if not deadly situations.

The system furthermore is unlikely to make a difference. Many guns that today are used in crimes in the US have been obtained on the black market (including the back door of the gun shop). If an untraceable gun can be purchased that easily, a password protection system won't last long either.

Photo: Jesper Noer

Tags: guns, password