‘Master Prints’ Could Be Used to Unlock Nearly Any Phone’s Fingerprint Sensor

Think your smartphone's fingerprint sensor is secure? It may not be if this research can lead to a physical master print.


Chances are that your smartphone has a fingerprint scanner built into it to help you unlock your device. One advantage to fingerprint scanners is that it makes it faster to unlock handsets than typing a pin number.

However, it’s also more secure because, as we’re constantly reminded about via CSI-style detective shows, all of us have unique fingerprints. As a result, a fingerprint scanner stops someone else unlocking your phone in the way that they could if you knew your passcode.

Right? Well, kind of.

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