How Hackers Could Steal Your Fingerprints Without You Knowing
Computer security researchers have just updated a new fingerprint recognition technique based on the sounds the finger makes on a touchscreen. Combined with malware, this could one day open up opportunities for biometric data theft.
• Also read: Artificial Intelligence: ChatGPT is unpredictable for hours
• Also read: Neuralink: Patient with first brain implant controls computer mouse with thoughts
The PrintListner is a brand new technique demonstrated by a Chinese-American research team. It uses the sound of fingers rubbing on a touchscreen to extract the patterns of the corresponding fingerprint. This method captures sounds through microphones built into electronic devices during frequent interactions on social platforms such as Skype, Discord, WeChat, FaceTime or Google Meet. A software solution can then patiently reconstruct the user's fingerprint without their knowledge.
Such a discovery obviously raises many concerns about computer security. This technology indeed poses a real risk of biometric data theft and could question the reliability of fingerprint authentication systems in the long term. The initial results are impressive: the system is already able to reconstruct a partial impression in 27.9% of cases and a complete impression in 9.3% of cases. All after five attempts.
In fact, PrintListener exploits a little-known but potentially very invasive flaw, as it would allow a hacker to obtain a person's fingerprints without having to have direct access to the device being used. Using malware, he can recover his victim's fingerprint in addition to other already sensitive data (passwords, bank details, etc.).
By communicating about their work, these researchers aim to raise awareness of this vulnerability and thus contribute to the development of more robust security measures to protect users from this type of attack.
How Hackers Could Steal Your Fingerprints Without You Knowing Read More »