Japan Researchers Warn of Fingerprint Theft From 'Peace' Sign (phys.org)
Tulsa_Time quotes a report from Phys.Org: Could flashing the "peace" sign in photos lead to fingerprint data being stolen? Research by a team at Japan's National Institute of Informatics (NII) says so, raising alarm bells over the popular two-fingered pose. Fingerprint recognition technology is becoming widely available to verify identities, such as when logging on to smartphones, tablets and laptop computers. But the proliferation of mobile devices with high-quality cameras and social media sites where photographs can be easily posted is raising the risk of personal information being leaked, reports said. The NII researchers were able to copy fingerprints based on photos taken by a digital camera three meters (nine feet) away from the subject.
Fix your fucking website already
Years of burning their fingers on the glass bong have rendered this technique ineffective.
Fingerprints and other biometric information should only be used for identification and not for authentication.
Fingerprints are not used for authentication, right? So it's not a problem, is it?
Even the kids in my school get this - you do have to explain the first time but then it's obvious to them.
Where do you write down your password? Almost nowhere (some of our kids have password in their planners and things like that, but they have no access anyway).
Where do you leave your fingerprint? Everywhere you go, on everything you touch, including the device you're logging into, and every device you've ever logged into.
Though we don't get high-level attacks, I feel that users need to only have this explained once to question the James Bond etc. concept of using fingerprints for doors, high security facilities, etc.
The fact that cameras are at the point that you can photograph someone's fingerprint? That's been true for a little while. That means that Trump / May / whatever leader's fingerprints have basically been public-domain for the world's spies for many years. Hence you should be SERIOUSLY questioning use of fingerprints as anything more than convenience or casual use.
Coming next: Seconds after the moment you shake hands with me, all your personal datas are belong to us.
Instead of making a peace sign when having your photo taken, an obvious solution is to flip the bird instead! Your fingerprints are facing away from the camera. All of the problems are solved, once and for all!
I would much rather have a photo of my fingers stolen than have my fingers, or finger tips stolen!
~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
German defense minister got her fingerprints "stolen" in a similar fashion two years ago.
It's real popular for some, and can be for you, too, now that we are in the Trumpverse
https://regmedia.co.uk/2015/07...
They're saying they have the fingerprints of every Japanese female under the age of 30.
#DeleteChrome
You'll never pull a finger print from a photo taken with a cell phone camera. Those things have no optical quality.
with the hi res in devices today yep. more than that it can be extracted from objects too.
Fingerprints are not used for authentication, right?
Not sure about the States, but in Japan many of the banks have biometric devices on the ATMs to read fingerprints. From the placement of the devices, I would say the thumb is unlikely to be used, and I would suppose that most people use their index finger.
Also there are a lot of smartphones with fingerprint recognition, and I have two computers with it (though I'm not using it because I don't regard it as secure).
Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
It's the V for victory
The proposed solution is to hold your hand the other way around exposing only your fingernails. ;-)
on your forehead right? For anyone to see?
Then why do people think information you leave all over the place is a replacement for a password?
Seeing as how it is always asian females who flash it in selfies. it is really V for asian Vagina.
When I pass through border control they cannot even get my fingerprints when I'm touching the glass. And now a blurry mobile phone would be able to do better from several meters away?
I guess the next warning will be to always wear gloves, otherwise you will be leaving a trail of fingerprints everywhere you go...
I guess the horns "\m/" sign is also affected, even though you're displaying only your index and pinky fingers. The vulcan greeting sign "_\\//" would be the worst to photograph, since it displays all the fingerprints.
Shouldn't that be Japanese researchers? As in people who are Japanese who are engaged in research? And not people who research the island country of Japan?
Anyone who flashes the peace sign in pictures deserve it...
Biometrics: securing your data via non-changeable, non-secret data.
Biometrics should *never* be used in a situation where the input is not controlled. For example, it is okay to use it as part of a border crossing, it is *not* okay to use it on a door lock. It is okay to use it on a phone, as the goal there is "prevent someone from quickly unlocking your phone if you step away for a moment and you trust them not to steal it" - in any other situation, a person with physical access to your phone can already compromise it, so alternatives don't significantly increase security.
As Japanese photos gradually become less peaceful...
British photos gradually become more well behaved.
Assuming people stop holding up those 2 fingers.
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The same is true for retina print (eye print) checks. It does take a better camera (20M pixel), and it may require a brief *infrared* flash (so you will *not* notice it), but it will allow one to copy the retina prints from everyone looking in the camera's direction, and they are most often good enough to confuse retina scanners into accepting a false eye as valid.
Biometry may be useful as a 2FA/3FA, but it really isn't "safe" by itself.
The sign they are talking about is the V of Vrijheid and Victoire, after the Dutch word for Freedom and the French word for Victory. People in occupied Belgium used it during WWII. The gesture was used as a response to the Nazi salute, and was used every time the Germans lost a battle (the news was spread by the BBC). This way the people managed to scare the German soldier, and indirectly instructed them to be nice and to not commit war crimes. This sign was adopted in both the Netherlands and France and was even picked up by Churchill who made the symbol for the allies (after having done it wrong the first few times, he showed the back of his hands which was a way to insult other people in the British lower classes).
iOS users don't have anything to worry about since they use their thumb to authenticate which would not be visible when giving a peace sign. Android users, however, are forced to use their index finger on the back of the phone.
They should just reverse the hand gesture and show the camera their fingernails.
Glove Manufacturers report an encouraging spike in sales
You leave fingerprints behind you everywhere you go. On everything you touch. It is trivial to get someone's fingerprints.
That's why I use my genitals for fingerprint authentication. I can guarantee nobody is getting ahold of those.
Anyone can have their hands photographed and fingerprints stolen. Who the fuck came up with the fearmongering scare tactic that singles out making the peace sign as a way of stealing fingerprint data? That's so fucking lame.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
I don't even think they realize it's a "peace sign". They just do it because everyone else they know does it.
What about iris scanning. Should people also avoid poses that expose their eyes to the camera?