Our mission could not be fulfilled without direction. Our strategy defines how we approach our mission and how donors support that work.
If the strategy is how the mission is accomplished, our programs are how our strategy is accomplished. Programs are our focus areas—”where the rubber meets the road”.
Though the strategy and programs align with our past and current operations, they are newly defined in 2026. It is our goal to continue to support these programs, document how these programs are achieved, and have the ability to show the actual results that your support makes manifest. We look forward to developing robust metrics that can demonstrate our success and highlight areas of improvement.
We will continue to grow and learn—and pick and teach!
You may read about our strategy and programs below or linked here.
Strategy
Since 2010, TOOOL has educated thousands of people about locks and physical security—building engineering literacy, empowering smarter consumer choices, and opening doors to new career opportunities. Powered by an enthusiastic volunteer network, we’ve brought this mission to life through events, hands-on learning, and chapters nationwide.
We are now stronger than ever as an organization. Recent investments in financial infrastructure, compliance, cost discipline, and expanded educational resources have positioned us to grow our impact responsibly and sustainably.
Your support funds three core programs:
Education at events: We bring lock education to large audiences through flagship events like DEF CON and our annual Lockfest, reaching thousands of curious minds during these events.
Chapter-lead education: Our local chapter leaders host monthly meetings and community events, making security education accessible to people wherever they are.
Research & Development: We continuously develop and improve the tools, curriculum, and vetted equipment that make our education effective. We also endeavor to identify flaws in security products and ethically disclose any exploits.
Together, these programs ensure that our education remains free, high-quality, and widely accessible. Every dollar you give goes directly toward teaching the next generation of engineers, security professionals, and informed consumers.
Program 1: Chapter-lead education
TOOOL’s chapters are the foundation of the organization’s work. Chapters across the US hold monthly meetings that are free and open to the public. They work alongside local events, from maker fairs to cybersecurity conferences, to provide education and entertainment to their communities.
The national administration of TOOOL works to reduce the load on its chapters. This support takes many forms, ranging from handling administrative tasks to sending last-minute supplies. Your donations go directly toward helping chapters succeed and grow.
Program 2: Education at Events
Large events are where TOOOL’s mission comes alive at scale. By meeting people where their curiosity already exists, we deliver hands-on lock education to hundreds of engaged participants at once. We provide free education at events that are open to the public to be sure that our education is as accessible as possible.
These shared-interest audiences don’t just learn faster; they connect with each other, building a community around security literacy. Additionally, since physical security intersects with so many fields—from engineering to cybersecurity—our programming sparks insights that participants carry far beyond the event itself.
Your gift makes it possible to bring TOOOL’s educators, tools, and curriculum to more events—and more people—every year.
Program 3: Physical Security Education Research and Development
TOOOL’s main mission is education, and the organization has significant experience in this area. That experience allows us to discover new exploit methods, reveal flaws in security products, test new tools and techniques, and to see what works and what doesn’t. We use this knowledge to provide chapters with effective learning materials, stock our store with equipment that works, and develop new tools and techniques.
TOOOL conducts research into how we can apply technology and materials available to us to create new or improve old exploits. This requires purchasing locks (and other physical security products), technology and materials to develop exploits, and administrative effort to ensure that the organization is applying its resources thoughtfully.
When TOOOL discovers new exploits, we ethically disclose these to the manufacturer. This means contacting them, describing the exploit, and allowing the manufacturer to remedy the issue before disclosing the exploit to the public. Disclosing exploits to the manufacturer gives them a chance to improve their products. Disclosing exploits to the public allows people to make better choices when picking out which products to trust with their security.
Your support allows TOOOL to continue developing its tools and techniques for education and public use.