A video demonstration created by mobile blog SoyaCincau shows that the Face Unlock feature can be fooled by showing it a mere image of the face used to set up the locking mechanism. The video shows someone unlocking a Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, by holding in front of the device a digital photo taken of him that is displayed on another phone.
Per the description of the YouTube video:
"It was safe to assume that Google wouldn't let its face-recognition technology be bypassed using a photo but this confirms it," The Next Web wrote at the time. "Good news for those who were worried about their friends hacking their smartphone by using a Facebook profile photo or something similar."
While some of you think that it is a trick and I had set the Galaxy Nexus up to recognise the picture, I assure you that the device was set up to recognise my face.... I would love to do this test again but I don't have a Galaxy Nexus, it is VERY hard to come by as it is not launched yet, but I urge anyone with a Galaxy Nexus to do the same test. Program the device to recognise YOUR FACE and then try to trick the same device with a similar looking picture, it will workA Google representative contacted by CNET said the feature is considered low security and experimental. Even the interface warns users that "Face Unlock is less secure than a pattern, PIN, or password" and that "Someone who looks similar to you could unlock your phone."
"It was safe to assume that Google wouldn't let its face-recognition technology be bypassed using a photo but this confirms it," The Next Web wrote at the time. "Good news for those who were worried about their friends hacking their smartphone by using a Facebook profile photo or something similar."
No comments:
Post a Comment