Euro cylinders: the part burglars target
The euro cylinder is the part of the lock you put the key into, and it's the single most attacked component on a modern door, largely because a basic cylinder can be snapped in seconds with a pair of grips and a sharp tap. Anti snap cylinders are built with a sacrificial section that breaks away before the internal mechanism is exposed, so the door stays locked even after the visible part has been forced off.
TS007 3 star and Sold Secure Diamond
TS007 is the British Standard kitemark rating for cylinder resistance to snapping, and it's marked with a star system: a single star cylinder paired with 2 star security hardware (hinges and keeps) reaches an equivalent standard, or a 3 star cylinder alone is enough on its own regardless of the surrounding hardware.
Sold Secure Diamond is a separate, independently tested standard covering anti snap, anti bump, anti drill and anti pick resistance together, and it's often the specific wording insurers look for when a policy requires enhanced security locks.
Anti snap, anti bump, anti drill: what they each stop
These three terms get used together but stop different attack methods. Anti snap resists the cylinder being physically snapped in two. Anti bump resists a technique using a specially cut key and a sharp tap to force the pins into alignment without the real key. Anti drill resists someone drilling straight through the cylinder to destroy the pin stack. A genuinely high spec cylinder is tested and rated against all three, not just one.
- Anti snap: sacrificial break point stops forced entry after the visible cylinder is removed
- Anti bump: internal pins resist manipulation by a bump key
- Anti drill: hardened plates and pins resist drilling through the mechanism
- Look for all three, not just a single feature quoted in isolation
Multi point locks: hook and roller mechanisms
Beyond the cylinder, the gearbox mechanism itself matters. Hook bolts drive a hooked steel bolt into a keep that physically resists the door being levered outward, which is stronger against forced entry than a straight throw bolt. Roller cams achieve a similar effect with a rolling bolt that's harder to pick or manipulate from outside. Most modern uPVC and composite doors use one or the other across several points up the door edge, typically five or more, rather than relying on a single deadbolt.
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The hardware around the lock
A strong cylinder and gearbox can still be undermined by weak supporting hardware. Hinge bolts (or security hinges with an integral stud) stop the hinge side of the door being forced even if the hinges themselves are attacked. Laminated glass in or near the door resists being smashed to reach an internal handle. Letterplate cowls block the common trick of fishing for keys or the internal handle through the letterbox.
| Hardware | What it protects against |
|---|---|
| Anti snap TS007 3 star cylinder | Cylinder snapping and forced entry via the lock |
| Hook or roller multi point lock | Levering the door away from the frame |
| Hinge bolts | Forcing the door off at the hinge side |
| Letterplate cowl | Fishing for keys or handles through the letterbox |
| Laminated glass panel | Smashing glass to reach an internal handle |
PAS 24 and what insurers actually ask for
PAS 24 is a whole doorset test, covering the frame, glazing, hinges and lock working together under simulated attack, rather than certifying one component alone, so a PAS 24 tested doorset gives broader assurance than any single hardware spec sheet. When it comes to insurance wording, policies vary: some simply ask for a five lever mortice lock to BS3621 on timber doors, or a multi point lock on uPVC and composite doors, while others name TS007 or Sold Secure explicitly, so it's worth checking your own policy wording rather than assuming.
Our door security standards guide goes into the certification detail behind all of this if you want the fuller picture rather than the hardware buying angle covered here.
Landlords and rented property checks
Landlords have a slightly different set of concerns to owner occupiers when it comes to door hardware, since tenants change and keys get copied, lost or not returned. A euro cylinder is straightforward and inexpensive to replace between tenancies, which is one practical argument for keeping to a well specified but standard TS007 3 star cylinder rather than a bespoke high end lock that's costly to duplicate or source again in a hurry. Checking hardware condition, not just the door itself, at each changeover is a sensible habit alongside any wider property inspection.
Retrofitting hardware to an older door
Not every upgrade means a new door. A tired euro cylinder can usually be swapped for a modern anti snap version on an existing uPVC or composite door in minutes, provided the replacement matches the existing backset and overall length. Hinge bolts and letterplate cowls can also often be retrofitted without touching the rest of the door. Where the gearbox itself is failing or the frame has genuinely dropped, that's a different job, closer to a repair than a hardware upgrade, and worth diagnosing properly first.