Hacker Circumvents Iris Scanner With Pictures From Google Images

A well-known German hacker who has already a fingerprint of German Chancellor Angela Merkel was able to get will this month at the CanSecWest security conference show how with pictures from Google Images can circumvent an iris scanner. Jan Krissler, aka "Starbug" knew in 2013 even though TouchID to beat Apple. Now the German researcher focused on the Panasonic BM-ET200 authenticam.

The product is no longer sold, but is still in use in many places. To deceive the system, the pictures have to meet several conditions. For example, the eyes should be bright because of the way it uses infrared light-based system. The image should be large and clear enough, so let Krissler opposite Forbes know. Something that the investigator is no obstacle. "We managed to deceive a commercial system with a print of an iris diameter of 75 pixels."

Furthermore, the print should have a resolution of 1200 dpi. Google Images and other places to find pictures of irises in high resolutions. Krissler example was an election poster of Merkel with an iris diameter of 175 pixels. According authentication expert Per Thorsheim iris scanners are currently a "nice gimmick", but not yet ready for the general public. Nevertheless demonstrated various parties, such as ZTE and Fujitsu , this week at the Mobile World Congress oogverificatie- and iris authentication systems.

AVG: Login Via Fingerprint Positive Development

In late December showed a German hacker still see him with a picture fingerprint had copied the German Minister of Defence, but according to Tony Anscombe anti-virus company AVG login via fingerprint correct a positive development. Anscombe also criticizes the negative coverage of biometric authentication, which would let users believe that fingerprint logon is not safe.

"The process to copy someone's fingerprint in this way is difficult and time-consuming, and it is therefore unlikely that the masses will be a problem," says AVG security evangelist. "I think we just have to celebrate that authentication mechanisms that initially only used by companies and governments have now found a place in our daily lives."

Anscombe notes that as biometric security ensures that more people lock their phone, this is a positive development. "It shows that more consumers than ever protect their devices in a certain way in order to prevent their information being stolen." The security evangelist says he understands that research into this type of security is necessary, but he would prefer to see that people are encouraged to use the security on their phone than that they are trying to undermine the systems that can protect them.