Selfie as Source of Biometric Data Leakage

18.01.2017

Via cameras in today’s smartphones, it is possible to leak papillary pictures of fingers with accuracy great enough for frauds to use other person’s fingerprints for their own benefit.

Biometric authentication is a common way to protect applications and devices. Having obtained fingerprints, strangers can unblock a notebook or smartphone and trick biometric systems of access into any building.

New threat to information security was discovered by the professor from the Japanese National Institute of Informatics. Together with his colleagues, he was able to recognize fingerprints of a person captured on the photograph, despite the fact that the photo was taken from a three-meter distance. Thus, according to experts, pictures published on the web have become an object of interest to attackers.

Japanese experts paid special attention to the selfie with a gesture in the form of the Latin letter ‘V’ signifying victory or peace and being a common sign in the Asian countries. The gesture popularity led to the situation when users automatically use it when posing in front of camera. In addition, selfies are taken at close range that makes it easier for potential thieves to steal fingerprint data. A combination of factors greatly increases the risk of fingerprint data leakage.

Experts from the institute suggest securing selfies with the help of a transparent cover-up coated with titanium oxide. This technology will allow disguising a pattern of papillary lines on the photo.

It is not the first time when information security experts address the issues associated with biometric data. For example, the University of Michigan have shown how to deceive fingerprint scanner of smartphone using a usual inkjet printer, glossy paper, and conductive inks tadalafil 10mg. You can also do it printing a finger pulp on the 3D printer.