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Testing Apple's Touch ID with Fake Fingerprints

Adam Savage’s Tested · 2.2M views · 2014-12-29 · 18:18

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Overview

Tested explains how Apple's Touch ID recognizes fingerprints, then tries to defeat it using fake fingers and prints, retracing methods claimed by a German computer club.

On Hacker News

Used as evidence that fingerprint unlocking can be spoofed with fairly simple fabricated copies.

Discussed on HN; no positive recommendation is recorded in this export · HN mentions 2016–2020

Topics

Security & hackingConsumer devices & gadgets
Search by tags
touch idfingerprint spoofingbiometricsiphonesecurity

What people said

kylek · 2020-04 · Reference

This reminded me of a mythbusters from years ago where they defeat a door lock fingerprint scanner. Found this (more relevant) video of touchid being defeated by fake fingerprints (2014) while trying to find it- [VIDEO]

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riskable · 2016-05 · Reference

Yeah, this--and all the other copycat articles at that time--are bullshit. It absolutely will work with a severed finger. If the first try doesn't work just wet the severed finger with water or take a pencil and color the finger tip with graphite. Example of someone unlocking an iPhone with the latest and greatest sensor tech (on phones anyway): [VIDEO] They had less than a severed finger: A simple silicone copy. Something you can actually manufacturer with a high resolution picture of a fingerprint (as demonstrated by the CCC).

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tdkl · 2016-02 · Reference

> A malicious sensor could, hypothetically, steal fingerprints from an iPhone user unknowingly. This could be used to unlock the phone and make purchases through Apple Pay without the owner's permission. Why in the hell would anyone bother with this, if it's trivial to get persons fingerprints and reproduce them to unlock the device ? [1] Even if you lack the touch ID, the device is still encrypted by the PIN and is functioning (and is secure) normally without it. Either it's really over-engineered or is what it is - scare tactic to bring people to Apple repair centers. I wish they'd use rather this media attention to inform the public that fingerprint authentication isn't there for security, but conveniency first. Apple Pay would function just fine without it. But would it have it's appeal of easy payment ? Probably not. [1] [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by Adam Savage’s Tested, played through YouTube.

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