History Main / SelfDestructingSecurity

** The top secret A.T.A.C. device has one of these, but the crew on the SpyShip drown before they can activate it, [[MacGuffin setting off the plot]]. Bond has to disarm the device before removing it, and later uses the bomb to blow up a mook in a JIM suit.

* In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', the ancient Luxan ship is equipped with a self-destructing security mechanism powerful enough to blow up the ship it's parked in. Thankfully, it also loops through a vocal message explaining how to defuse it: It requires [[spoiler:any one of three keys only a Luxan is supposed to have; Qualta blades are one of them]].

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Slaver Weapon". The title device had an ArtificialIntelligence computer programmed to make sure its user was a Slaver authorized to operate it. When the Kzinti that found it asked ignorant questions of it, it assumed that it had captured by its master's enemies and tricked them into activating a self-destruct setting which destroyed it...and them.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Slaver Weapon". The title device had an {{AI}} computer programmed to make sure its user was a Slaver authorized to operate it. When the Kzinti that found it asked ignorant questions of it, it assumed that it had captured by its master's enemies and tricked them into activating a self-destruct setting which destroyed it...and them.

** ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'': Bond's car has an anti-theft measure which blows it up if it's broken into. Considering all the high tech gear in every car Bond drives, it's probably more to protect those things than the car itself.

This is typically used to protect information rather than unique objects, as it's easier to have a backup copy so that the loss of any single copy doesn't mean it's lost forever. However, it can also be found used with unique items that would be dangerous in the wrong hands, under the logic that it's better for no-one to have it than the wrong people.

It is a fact that no safe can ever be impregnable. Even a meter thick titanium box could be cut through eventually. Security measures are designed with the intent of making any attempted break in so time consuming and recognizable that the thieves will be apprehended before they can succeed. So long as the thieves were somehow able to secure themselves sufficient time and privacy however, there are ways of penetrating just about any physical security.

But while you can't make it impossible for thieves to get in, you can make it impossible to get anything out intact if they don't use the proper access method. So long as it's more important that the contents stay out of the wrong hands than in one piece, you setup a failsafe that will destroy the contents before an attempted break in can be completed. The technique also has the advantage of not requiring any staff to check on the security regularly, and so is good for security that will be unattended for long periods.

Compare SelfDestructMechanism, which is typically deliberately triggered by the owner of vehicles, buildings and bases, and ThisPageWillSelfDestruct where messages self destruct on a timer to avoid falling into the wrong hands, rather than being triggered by an attempted theft.

* In ''Disney/TreasurePlanet'' the planet itself has self-destruct booby trap that will activate should anyone finds Captain Flint's treasure hoard. The trigger is ''right by'' the entrance to the main vault, so by the time the average person realizes there is a trap, they're screwed.

* Modern [=ATMs=] have devices designed to contaminate the entire monetary content with a permanent dye rendering the money unusable if anyone breaks into one. The machine's owners can exchange the money at the country's central bank, but anyone trying to pass dyed notes in everyday life will attract law enforcement attention in no time.

* iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) have an option to erase all content on the device after ten failed passcode attempts. You can also destroy a device's data manually, if it's using an iCloud account that you have access to. This became a point of contention when, in 2015, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino_shooting#Searches the FBI attempted to decrypt one of the suspects' iPhones to find evidence]] and requested that Apple install a backdoor into their phones that allows government agencies to decrypt such devices without fear of hitting the 10-attempt limit.

* In Creator/{{Infocom}}'s ''VideoGame/{{Enchanter}}'' there's an mechanical egg with a scroll inside. No matter how you open it, the egg shreds the scroll so it's unusable. You later get a spell that allows you to reconstitute the scroll and learn the spell on it.

* iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) have an option to erase all content on the device after ten failed passcode attempts. You can also destroy a device's data manually, if it's using an iCloud account that you have access to.

* [=WW2=] Uboat codebooks were printed on paper that would dissolve in water. Not only did this make the codebook easy to destroy, even if the crew were killed before they could do so, an attack on the sub would be very likely to cause the codebooks' destruction anyway. That didn't stop the Allies from seizing ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome half a dozen]]'' of them.

** This might be more accurately described as a CyanidePill, if the AI was truly making a decision rather than simply executing a built-in program. The episode doesn't give enough information to tell either way.

* The Creator/MatthewReilly short story ''Altitude Rush'' ([[http://www.matthewreilly.com/resources Available in pdf on his website]]) has documents protected by a self destructing case that will release hydrofloric acid on the papers unless properly accessed. The case also has an altitude sensor that will trigger the self-destruct if it goes above 1000 feet or below 10 feet, necessitating the thieves to execute a frantic escape across the NY skyline.

* In ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'', the cryptex protects its contents with a combination lock. Attempting to force the cryptex open will break the vial of vinegar inside, which would dissolve the papyrus along with its message before it could be read. As a result, only the right password will grant access to the message.
** This is possibly a case of ArtisticLicenseChemistry; vinegar isn't a powerful enough solvent to dissolve papyrus, which is fairly sturdy stuff. However, it might be able to dissolve the ink, especially if it's very dilute, rendering the message illegible.

** Occurs in the adventure T1-4 ''{{TapletopGame/Temple of Elemental Evil}}'':

* In ''Disney/TreasurePlanet'' the planet itself has self-destruct booby trap that will activate should anyone finds Captain Flint's treasure hoard.

* In the New Year's Day 2012 ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' episode "A Scandal in Belgravia," Irene Adler's phone, containing lots of politically-sensitive data, contains miniature explosives that will destroy it if anyone attempts to physically remove the hard drive, or enters the wrong passcode too many times. [[FridgeLogic Which begs the question]], since the good guys aren't after the info itself, but ''containing'' it and preventing her from blackmailing important officials with it, why don't they just ''let it'' self-destruct?
** A better and more logical fail-safe for her to use would have been if it were set up to broadcast and release the info if the security was breached or [[DeadMansSwitch if she didn't enter the security code every day]]. That way, anyone she had info on, would have an incentive to keep her phone secure and in her possession.

* [=WW2=] Uboat codebooks were printed on paper that would dissolve in water. Not only did this make the codebook easy to destroy, even if the crew were killed before they could do so, an attack on the sub would be very likely to cause the codebooks' destruction anyway. That didn't stop the Allies from seizing ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome half a dozen]]'' of them.