A group of German hackers claimed to have cracked the iPhone fingerprint scanner on Sunday, just two days after Apple Inc launched the technology that it promises will better protect devices from criminals and snoopers seeking access.
If the claim is verified, it will be embarrassing for Apple which is betting on the scanner to set its smartphone apart from new models of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and others running the Android operating system of Google Inc.
Two prominent iPhone security experts told Reuters that they believed the German group, known as the Chaos Computing Club, or CCC, had succeeded in defeating Apple's Touch ID, though they had not personally replicated the work.
One of them, 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."
Apple representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The Chaos Computing Club has been around since forever, or at least before I was born, they have a reputation here so if they say they've cracked it I'm inclined to believe them. Even so, 2 days to crack Apples new "uber security technology", seriously? Impressive but for Apple this could be potentially disastrous depending on their next move (once again this is all assuming CCC's claim is valid, which I believe it to be).
Biometrics are not a foolproof security measure as CCC has proved,but a determined hacker sees possibilities everywhere.Note that the underlying technology is not hacked by the team(although Apple can't pat themselves for this product,this being their third security breach in their product).The sensor and the secure chip in which the fingerprint representation is stored is not at all involved in the process.The well-known method of lifting fingerprints using cellophane tape(which,come on,we have witnessed in many detective novels and series) is used.But they have made their point.Using fingerprints for access control is not as safe as it is claimed.It isn't a cakewalk,but it isn't like breaking into Fort Knox either.That being said,credit to CCC for coming up with the idea.