Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 5S much acclaimed fingerprint scanner was apparently claimed to have been hacked by a group of German hackers on Sunday. If the rumors of hacking turn out to be true it will be a major blow for Apple, who is boasting about its scanner to differentiate it from other companies such as Samsung and other smartphones powered by Android from Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) claims that the new security feature is “much more secure than previous fingerprint technology.”
Hackers show video of the process
Chaos Computing Club is one of the most famous and respected hacking groups in the world, and it published a video on its site that shows a person hacking the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 5S scanner through fabricated print.
“Fingerprints should not be used to secure anything. You leave them everywhere, and it is far too easy to make fake fingers out of lifted prints,” a hacker named Starbug posted on the CCC’s site.
The group described how it took a picture of a fingerprint of an iPhone user and then printed it on a transparent sheet, which was later used in creating the ‘fake finger’. The group said that similar methods have been utilized to crack various security measures in the market.
Experts believe Apple sensor might be at risk
According to two prominent iPhone security experts (quoted by Reuters) what the German experts group is claiming might be true. They said that though they have not tried these tactics themselves, they believe that Chaos Computing Club or CCC (the German hacker group) might have succeeded at it.
Charlie Miller, co-author of the iOS Hacker’s Handbook, described the work as “a complete break” of Touch ID security. “It certainly opens up a new possibility for attackers.”
Dino Dai Zovi, another co-author of the iOS Hacker’s Handbook said “I think it’s legit,” and added “The CCC doesn’t fool around or over-hype, especially when they are trying to make a political point.”
Two security experts who called for an unrehearsed competition to break into the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone by hacking its fingerprint sensor said that they have seen the information posted by CCC on the website, but want more information. They said that a full documentation video is required along with the walk through of the process claimed by Chaos Computing Club. Both experts have announced $100 each as the prize for the winner. Separately, they also arranged a website inviting others to contribute; as a result, total booty is now worth more than $13,000 in cash.
