A new piece of software cleverly titled Sneakey makes it possible to copy keys using nothing more than a photograph, even if that photograph was taken from far away, according to Peter Murray at Singularity Hub.

In one demonstration, the software helped create working keys using a picture taken with a cell phone camera and a picture taken with a telephoto lens over 200 feet away.

This might have you thinking twice about taking your keys out in public.

Who's to blame for this? A group of scientists at UC San Diego. The technology behind it is relatively simple -- they just applied a straightforward principle that ended up having far-reaching implications.

First they photograph a blank key of the same brand. The software that compares the differences between the blank key and the target key, and that's enough to create a functioning copy.

Essential gear for the next spy movie. Let's hope it's being used by the good guys.