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Scanner Touch ID on the iPhone you can cheat universal print

Fingerprint scanner built into the iPhone, may not be as reliable way of data protection as is commonly believed. This opinion is shared by scientists from new York and Michigan universities.

According to the study, “universal” imprint, made from the most commonly occurring papillary patterns – a kind of master key allows you to unlock up to 65% of mobile devices.

In the course of research scientists have managed to create, based on many real fingerprint a set of “master molds”, which were able to fool the scanners smartphones. The set was created in electronic form and testing fake fingerprints were performed on simulators, not real devices. However, researchers warn that the technology of creating artificial physical prints is fast improving.

Experts drew attention to the earlier statement by Apple that 1 out of 50 000 cases scanner Touch ID in the iPhone may recognize the fingerprint of another person. Other manufacturers also note the non-ideal biometric security system. Scanners smartphones due to its small size can not be considered a fingerprint of the entire finger, so the system remembers a few fragments. Despite the fact that fingerprints are considered to be relatively unique features of the person, and their parts may be similar.

“There’s a lot more likely mistakenly to associate a partial than a full. Most devices rely on partial identifiers”, — said one of the study’s authors Nasir Memon from new York University.

Everything is complicated by the fact that the developers leave users with several attempts to introduce identity before the phone lock. If attackers create a glove with five different “reference fingerprints”, they will be able to get about half all of existing iPhone five attempts.

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This method was tested during the experiment of American scientists, creating a “universal” print, which they called Masterprint. Virtual research is successful. In “field” conditions of the tests were not conducted. Experts believe that the number of burglaries in this case it would be not so great, but even the results obtained from the experts cause for concern.

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