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Apple Better *NOT* Use Biometric ID for the iPhone

S

SomeDudeAsking

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 23, 2010
1,250
2
So I was reading a Computer World article that says Apple will replace passwords on the iPhone with finger print & iris scanners and they will be what secure your banking. This is incredibly dumb. At the end of the day, you still have to translate your fingerprint or eye scan into ones and zeros. If someone grabs those ones or zeros, or records scans of you a la ATM PIN scanners, then you are screwed. By using biometrics, you will NEVER be able to change what secures your banking. With passwords, you can change your secret code any time. With a fingerprint scanner, you have to chop off your finger. With an eye scanner, you have to gouge out your eye.

People, biometrics are inherently flawed.
 
I might as well laser etch my social security number into my forehead.

Say hello to the New World Order :mad:

Just Say No

victoryi.jpg
 
"1101 0010 0110 1100 1010 0111"
Look familiar? By posting on MacRumors I got your ones and zeros SomeDudeAsking. You'll never get them back, cause we all know your ones and zeros!!

Seriously though, I think you're over-simplifying how biometrics work my friend. Chill.
 
GimmeSlack12 said:
"1101 0010 0110 1100 1010 0111"
Look familiar? By posting on MacRumors I got your ones and zeros SomeDudeAsking. You'll never get them back, cause we all know your ones and zeros!!

Seriously though, I think you're over-simplifying how biometrics work my friend. Chill.
Click to expand...

So tell me, if I took biometric scans of your fingers and eyes by phishing you or putting skimmers over the real things, how would you change your fingers and eyes? Burn them?
 
EricNau said:
Encryption and/or cancelable biometrics would negate this concern.
Click to expand...

Until you chop off a finger.......or gouge an eye.......or you stop using biometrics...... Encryption does bupkiss in this situation. It's easy to get fingerprints off someone.
 
I work with Biometrics for the US Army as a trainer. Not only are you VASTLY over simplifing the whole process you are not taking into account any of the biometric protection that is inherently built in. For example the US Army HIIDE portable biometric collection system uses fingerprints, irirs and a photo. The iris alone is measured using at a MINIUMUM 950 different striations in your eye, no two people have the same striations. Period.

If the tech is implemented properly (read: not cheaply) it can be a powerful tool, if it's not it is just a silly waste of time.
 
axox181 said:
I work with Biometrics for the US Army as a trainer. Not only are you VASTLY over simplifing the whole process you are not taking into account any of the biometric protection that is inherently built in. For example the US Army HIIDE portable biometric collection system uses fingerprints, irirs and a photo. The iris alone is measured using at a MINIUMUM 950 different striations in your eye, no two people have the same striations. Period.

If the tech is implemented properly (read: not cheaply) it can be a powerful tool, if it's not it is just a silly waste of time.
Click to expand...

And you are not taking into account the inherently flawed scheme of biometrics. Fingerprints, eye scans, and a photo? Please. You can get those off people easily and then you are screwed because you will have to cut the person's fingers off and gouge their eyes to change their "biometrics". At the end of the day, biometrics are still ones and zeros. BTW, I don't suppose those US Wikileaks documents were secured with biometrics were they?
 
So, what do you recommend they use? You obviously can't be swayed into thinking biometrics are a good safety measure...so what's your alternative?
 
MythBusters did an episode where the challenge was to fool a fingerprint scanner. they managed to get a fingerprint off of a glass and put it onto plastic gel and fooled the scanner. Even a fingerprint isn't truly safe.
 
Even if Apple implemented something of this sort in their devices, I'm sure that there would be an option to enable/disable it and use traditional passwords. No need to freak out.
 
MacDawg said:
The article contains a lot of speculation, nothing more
I wouldn't be concerned about this
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I'm more interested in how the OP keeps talking about cutting off fingers and gouging out eyes. While I'm not a huge fan of biometric security, even I realize that won't change the "password," you'll just be cutting off your fingers.
 
Last edited:
You Better *NOT* jump to conclusions about something that maybe might happen and have no idea what the details of that maybe might be something are.
 
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