Update: An HMD Global spokesperson confirmed that the company is investigating the issue, saying: “We have not been able to replicate the issue so far but we will continue to investigate for the avoidance of any doubt and let you know of any further updates.”
The original piece continues below.
The Nokia 9 Pureview is having some interesting teething problems with its latest patch. The update promised to make the in-screen fingerprint reader more reliable, but it’s actually made it incredibly vulnerable, with multiple owners posting videos of the handset unlocking with unregistered fingerprints and even a stick of chewing gum.
Here’s the gum trick in action:
Video of the fingerprint sensor unlocking phone with a packet of chewing gum and someone else's finger pic.twitter.com/jwY4ZG7uCh
— Decoded Pixel (@decodedpixel) April 21, 2019
…and again without the screen protector. It takes a bit longer, but is ultimately just as successful:
Another video without tempered glass screen protector on the phone, Nokia 9 unlocked using a chewing gum packet pic.twitter.com/tDAuLHhh23
— Decoded Pixel (@decodedpixel) April 22, 2019
The problem seems to have kicked off with the release update v4.22. In the release notes, the update promised to improve the fingerprint reader so that it wouldn’t require such hard presses on the screen before unlocking.
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While you might think that rolling back to the previous version of the OS would fix the issue, another user posted a video of them unlocking the handset with unregistered fingerprints before the patch, meaning that your security is unlikely to be improved even with that drastic step.
For those wondering I've also managed to use the tip of my nose on the fingerprint sensor to unlock the phone too and I've used a 50p (British coin) to unlock the phone. I've contacted Nokia support and have passed my issue to a technical team.
— Decoded Pixel (@decodedpixel) April 21, 2019
One Reddit user was particularly critical of the fingerprint reader, writing: “I’ve got one and it’s a joke.”
“Register one finger and any can unlock, tapping rapidly & randomly can unlock it, tapping it with a t-shirt/cloth wrapped around your finger will unlock it… It’s terrible.”
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You would imagine that HMD Global – the company that makes phones under the Nokia brand – will be looking to fix this embarrassing bug as quickly as possible, but in the meantime you’re advised to disable fingerprint unlocks and revert to entering a PIN. Yes, it’s slower and can be copied if seen, but it’s a precaution that’s probably worth taking in the short term.
Do you own a Nokia Pureview 9? Have you had any problems with the v4.22 patch? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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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.