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Researchers Devise 2FA System That Relies On Taking Photos of Ordinary Objects (bleepingcomputer.com)
An anonymous reader quotes Bleeping Computer: Scientists from Florida International University and Bloomberg have created a custom two-factor authentication (2FA) system that relies on users taking a photo of a personal object. The act of taking the photo comes to replace the cumbersome process of using crypto-based hardware security keys (e.g., YubiKey devices) or entering verification codes received via SMS or voice call. The new system is named Pixie, and researchers argue it is more secure than the aforementioned solutions.
Pixie works by requiring users to choose an object as their 2FA key. When they set up the Pixie 2FA protection, they take an initial photo of the object that will be used for reference. Every time users try to log into their account again, they re-take a photo of the same object, and an app installed on their phone compares the two photos... In automated tests, Pixie achieved a false accept rate below 0.09% in a brute force attack with 14.3 million authentication attempts. An Android app is available for testing here.
Pixie works by requiring users to choose an object as their 2FA key. When they set up the Pixie 2FA protection, they take an initial photo of the object that will be used for reference. Every time users try to log into their account again, they re-take a photo of the same object, and an app installed on their phone compares the two photos... In automated tests, Pixie achieved a false accept rate below 0.09% in a brute force attack with 14.3 million authentication attempts. An Android app is available for testing here.
Not to mention that, whatever the object is, you’ve got to have it with you at all times - so pick carefully!
#DeleteChrome
This sounds like a completely brain dead idea. seriously how many objects around that people have with them everyday that you can guarantee are unique? not to mention the action of taking the photo basically reveals your 2FA to anyone in the vicinity.
Not to mention that, whatever the object is, you’ve got to have it with you at all times - so pick carefully!
This was the first thing that popped into my mind...what magical object must I always have available that isn't susceptible to being lost or stolen? And the answer is ....nothing.
If the object is always available to be photographed, it must always be with you, no? And if it's always with you then it could get lost or stolen.
I don't see how this is a solution to anything, frankly.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...