News and insight into biometric identification and authentication

Researchers hack facial biometrics

Monday, February 16, 2009

Researchers from the Hanoi University of Technology in Vietnam have announced that they have successfully hacked facial biometric software found on certain laptops from Toshiba, Lenovo and Asus, according to an article from The Industry Standard.

As the researchers planned to reveal their methods for attacking the software at the Black Hat DC conference in late February, they informed the companies who used the software, who have since stopped the use of it.

Additionally, the researchers were able to hack the software in multiple ways including both through using a regular photo of the user and by repeatedly trying random pictures until it would let one through. As more modes of biometrics for computer protection are found to have serious security holes, many are wondering whether some biometric protection truly is more secure than passwords or phrases.

Read the full story here [end] 

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