Researchers warn against making peace signs in photos over fears that fingerprints could be stolen

[midian182]

Should you ever feel the urge to flash a peace sign when having your photo took, it’s probably best that you ignore it. Striking the pose isn't always a good look, and you also risk having your biometric data stolen.

That’s the opinion of researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Informatics (NII), who warn that the increase in high-quality cameras, smartphones, and social media sites mean someone could scan fingerprints from an image and use them for nefarious purposes, such as accessing devices, entering secure areas, or stealing identities. Until modern camera technology arrived, this method was only possible using close-up photographs of a person’s prints.

The team at NII said fingerprints could be read even if when someone was up to 10 feet away from the camera, as long as the index finger and middle finger are clearly visible.  “Fingerprint data can be recreated if fingerprints are in focus with strong lighting in a picture," researcher Isao Echizen told the Sankei Shimbun newspaper and broadcaster Yomiuri TV (translated by International Business Times).

Echizen added that advanced technology was not necessary and anyone could easily copy fingerprints.

The NII researchers have developed a solution for selfie takers who love showing off peace signs: a transparent film containing titanium oxide printed with a specific pattern. These can be placed over the end of a finger, band aid-style, showing only fake fingerprints that will fool criminals. They also come with an authentication device so you don't have to keep peeling them off when you want to use your real fingerprint.

Stealing fingerprint data in this way isn’t new. Back in 2014, Chaos Computer Club member and biometrics researcher Jan Krisller claimed he reproduced the fingerprint of German Federal Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen by photographing her fingers from different angles.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/67757-researchers-warn-against-making-peace-signs-photos-over.html

 

[Bigtruckseries]

I seriously don't believe technology is good enough to *lift* fingerprints from a photo of a finger - yet.

And even if you could: what could you really do with them?

I do know that physical samples of fingerprints might be engineerable into a 3d model, but I seriously doubt any camera is good enough to get full prints - especially from a distance. }

The nuclear codes and weapon systems are still old technology which makes them very difficult to circumvent and there are a bunch of men in the loop to help prevent them from being compromised.

 

[Kibaruk]

Could you for once read the freaking article instead of throwing information out of your behind?? God you are obnoxious in unimaginable levels...

#TSHearOurCries

 

[Uncle Al]

Another good reason for Trump to just give the finger to the press ...... no danger of having an image of his finger nail stollen!

 

[Bigtruckseries]

Could you for once read the freaking article instead of throwing information out of your behind?? God you are obnoxious in unimaginable levels...

#TSHearOurCries

Triggered

 

[Nobina]

Could you for once read the freaking article instead of throwing information out of your behind?? God you are obnoxious in unimaginable levels...

#TSHearOurCries

If I read any of the articles I commented on I would have 0 posts.

 

[BSim500]

"The NII researchers have developed a solution for selfie takers who love showing off peace signs: a transparent film containing titanium oxide printed with a specific pattern. These can be placed over the end of a finger, band aid-style, showing only fake fingerprints that will fool criminals."

A cheaper and simpler solution is to not be pretentious enough to need to post 7,000 public photo's of yourself posing in the first place...

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

In certain countries in the word, the peace sign is the equivalent of what the middle finger means to us so whether the NII is correct, of which I'm very dubious about, maybe we should just keep your our in your pockets. The government doesn't feel bad about keeping their hands in our pockets so why should we?

 

[Bigtruckseries]

Another good reason for Trump to just give the finger to the press ...... no danger of having an image of his finger nail stollen!

I'm sure you saw him destroy those pathetic "fake news" losers last night.

He's like a troll with admin privileges and the CapsLock button on full Caps.

Finally a representative who represents me - and is unstoppable.

 

[dotVezz]

I seriously don't believe technology is good enough to *lift* fingerprints from a photo of a finger - yet.

Except it's already happened over two years ago:

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...isters-fingerprints-using-photos-of-her-hands

 

[cliffordcooley]

Which is why a finger print should only be part of the security measure. In reality, this is however only a threat to people that are high value targets.

 

[Comanche]

Could you for once read the freaking article instead of throwing information out of your behind?? God you are obnoxious in unimaginable levels...

#TSHearOurCries

and you are obnoxious at another level using "# " for every f...ing thing

 

[Kunming]

Besides the irony of an american president talking about or giving the peace sign... Maybe everyone needs to take IT security more seriously? There's no public debate about it, besides superficial "hacking" claims.

 

[Kibaruk]

Besides the irony of an american president talking about or giving the peace sign... Maybe everyone needs to take IT security more seriously? There's no public debate about it, besides superficial "hacking" claims.

People don't actually believe in these things until they get their credit card cloned and/or a big surprise when their bank statement arrives, or get confidential information in the open.

 

[risc32]

I thought that was the "v" for victory sign.

 

[OortCloud]

Wow - people can steal your fingerprints from a photo and Donald Trump is president of the US - it's a crazy f***ed-up world!

 

[ddferrari]

In certain countries in the word, the peace sign is the equivalent of what the middle finger means to us so whether the NII is correct, of which I'm very dubious about, maybe we should just keep your our in your pockets. The government doesn't feel bad about keeping their hands in our pockets so why should we?

Are you seriously suggesting that we "keep our hands in our pockets" so that what- we don't offend some ***** in Uzbekistan? Yeah, let's stop flying the American flag, have all our Hollywood actresses start wearing burkas, and become a vegan nation too, just so we don't "hurt anyone's feelings" by being ourselves.

 

[ddferrari]

I seriously don't believe technology is good enough to *lift* fingerprints from a photo of a finger - yet.

And even if you could: what could you really do with them?

I do know that physical samples of fingerprints might be engineerable into a 3d model, but I seriously doubt any camera is good enough to get full prints - especially from a distance. }

The nuclear codes and weapon systems are still old technology which makes them very difficult to circumvent and there are a bunch of men in the loop to help prevent them from being compromised.

"NASA official Michael Moore said that if the Hubble Space Telescope were pointed at the surface of the Earth instead of at outer space, you could see a dime sitting on top of the Washington Monument."

Yeah, so maybe a high quality camera CAN record fingerprints within a certain number of feet.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Are you seriously suggesting that we "keep our hands in our pockets" so that what- we don't offend some ***** in Uzbekistan? Yeah, let's stop flying the American flag, have all our Hollywood actresses start wearing burkas, and become a vegan nation too, just so we don't "hurt anyone's feelings" by being ourselves.

Did you read my post properly before you wore yourself out by jumping to concludions?

 

[ddferrari]

Did you read my post properly before you wore yourself out by jumping to concludions?

"In certain countries in the word (sic), the peace sign is the equivalent of what the middle finger means to us so whether the NII is correct, of which I'm very dubious about, maybe we should just keep your our in your pockets."

I'm guessing you meant "keep your hands in your pockets"... Please enlighten me- is there another way to interpret your post? Did I miss some subtle, witty nuance from the guy who calls himself "skidmarksdeluxe"? That's rich.

 

[moral hazard]

"...transparent film containing titanium oxide..."
I always jam my index and middle finger into my nostrils to do the same thing before waving them in front of a camera.

 

[Adhmuz]

I think the most important part of the article is being overlooked here.

"The NII researchers have developed a solution for selfie takers who love showing off peace signs: a transparent film containing titanium oxide printed with a specific pattern. These can be placed over the end of a finger, band aid-style, showing only fake fingerprints that will fool criminals."

I don't take selfies, but say I wanted to perform a crime and didn't want to leave any of my own finger prints behind would this be a good solution? This sounds like the perfect way to commit a crime and not leave any finger prints behind, then you'll just need to leave no hair, skin or blood behind and you'll have committed the perfect crime. Also destroy all the evidence and dump the body in a vat of acid in a cabin in the woods... Gloves, I think gloves would work just as well.

Also worth mentioning as long as you aren't anyone of critical importance that actually uses biometric authentication this really shouldn't be of any concern to you.

 

[RebelFlag]

I am so going to break into a bunch of critical systems as Richard Nixon!