The Samsung Galaxy S8’s iris scanning security feature isn’t all that secure, it has emerged.
The feature, which is a little faster and more reliable than the fingerprint sensor, has been hacked using a photo of the phone’s owner and a contact lens.
As demonstrated by the Jan Krissler of the Chaos Computer Club (via AndroidCentral), it’s possible to by-pass the feature using a photograph of the owner’s eye taken from 15 feet away.
Because the iris scanner uses infrared light, the night mode on the camera was enabled.
Related: Samsung Galaxy S8 review
Once the paper is held in front of the Galaxy S8’s eye scanner, the unauthorised party is in, with access to everything. We think this might be lowest tech hack, since a paperclip was first used to pick a suitcase padlock.
It’s not like the iris scanner stands alone as vulnerable, the CCC has previously demonstrated workarounds for Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
However, it is pause for thought if you’re using the iris scanner to secure your Galaxy S8.
Does the ease at which this feature can be by-passed concern you? Share your feelings in the comments section below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.