Very interesting security vulnerability: the front camera of your smart phone!

[thewayne]

The German security site, Heise.de, published a report of a compromised cell phone being able to see the reflection of your entering your unlock codes and passwords FROM YOUR GLASSES. They also say that the back camera, being higher resolution, can actually read fingerprints, which will be a big threat for biometric security.

(translated via Google from German)
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heise.de%2Fsecurity%2F

http://www.heise.de/security/meldung/Smartphones-Passwoerter-und-Fingerabdruecke-mittels-eingebauter-Kamera-ausspioniert-2243715.html

The easy solution, if you're not in to taking selfies, would be to cover the front camera with tape. The case that I use covers the back camera unless I'm specifically taking photos, which is a rare thing, so that's useless if my phone were compromised.


There was a Mythbusters episode a few years ago where they were testing hi-tech security systems, including fingerprint readers. They lifted a fingerprint from a glass, using laser printer black toner to make the print visible. They scanned it, printed it on a hi-res laser, copied it on to a melted gummy bear fake finger, and it was rejected by the scanner. So they printed it again greatly enlarged, perhaps to an 8x10", then fixed disconnected lines with a black Sharpie pen. Scanned it again, reduced the size, repeated printing it, and it worked. It was amazing to see.

What was also cool was they got past an ultrasonic sensor, it might also have been infrared, I don't remember, by carrying a huge piece of shag carpeting in front of them. It absorbed the ultrasonics so they didn't reflect back, and they made it past that stage.

The new iPhone 5 fingerprint scanner is a different beast: it doesn't just read your fingerprint, it reads the capillary pattern beneath your skin. So it shouldn't be fooled by the Mythbusters trick. And I understand the newer generation of fingerprint scanners require a 98f heat source behind them, so you can't chop off someone's finger to get in. So the Mythbusers trick will hopefully have a short life.

Comments

[neefsck.livejournal.com]

What it comes down to is *cheap* fingerprint scanners can be fooled with household objects.

The more expensive ones - well..like everything you get what you pay for. :)

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

My old Nokia has a camera at the back and is not front facing so unable to do selfies. I guess you are talking about newer phones.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's more for smart phones or tablets that have cameras on both sides and a more advanced OS that can be compromised. Just a few days ago I came across my old Motorola StarTac, a flip phone probably from the late '90s/early '00s, complete with pull-out antenna if you weren't getting enough signal! I'm really tempted to go to Sprint and see if it can be registered on their network.