Hackers are good at what they do—some can even use the way you move your phone to guess a 4-digit PIN in five attempts or less. That's why most of us with compatible hones use the fingerprint scanner. It's just much more secure. Or is it?
Researchers from Michigan State University and New York University have developed what they call "MasterPrints," which, when tested through computer simulations, were able to trick fingerprint scanners 65% of the time.
The New York Times reports that the techniques work because fingerprint scanners only go off partial prints, not off a complete snapshot of the finger. NYU researcher Nasir Memon asserts that partial prints are much easier to crack than whole prints, and in fact, the more fingerprints saved to the phone, the easier it is to gain access. This is because there are more so-called "parts" that could possibly be used to trick the sensor.
Memon warns in the researchers' paper that hackers may someday be able to develop "five-finger gloves" with one "MasterPrint" per finger. These gloves, according to Memon, would be capable of potentially breaking open half of all phones. Luckily, we have some time to prepare, as this research has only been successful through computer simulation, and not real-world application.
Fingerprint sensors have turned modern smartphones into miracles of convenience. A touch of a finger unlocks the phone — no password required. With services like Apple Pay or Android Pay or even Samsung pay, a fingerprint can buy a bag of groceries, a new laptop or even a $1 million vintage Aston Martin. And pressing a finger inside a banking app allows a user to pay bills or transfer thousands of dollars.
Now with this security loop Hole All our secret data is in danger.
Fingerprint sensors have turned modern smartphones into miracles of convenience. A touch of a finger unlocks the phone — no password required. With services like Apple Pay or Android Pay or even Samsung pay, a fingerprint can buy a bag of groceries, a new laptop or even a $1 million vintage Aston Martin. And pressing a finger inside a banking app allows a user to pay bills or transfer thousands of dollars.
Now with this security loop Hole All our secret data is in danger.
Do we need to worry ?
Yes but .....
"Apple said the chance of a false match in the iPhone’s fingerprint system was 1 in 50,000 with one fingerprint enrolled. Ryan James, a company spokesman, said Apple had tested various attacks when developing its Touch ID system, and also incorporated other security features to prevent false matches."
Though Google declined to comment on this as of now.
What the researcher's say about this :
Dr. Memon said that despite his research, he was still using fingerprint security on his iPhone.
“I’m not worried,” he said. “I think it’s still a very convenient way of unlocking a phone. But I’d rather see Apple make me enter the PIN if it’s idle for one hour.”
So that is a bit of relief ! Lets hope the manufactures are able to ditch this security loop hole and we all have our data safe !
Source : Link
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