Apple Offers Additional Details on Touch ID, iPhone 5s Won't Store Fingerprint Images

[thaifood]

I think it's fantastic technology in general and will see how well it's implemented in the phone.

I think that Apple have put a fair bit of work into ensuring the security stays at chip level because they are hunting for government contracts to use their phones. Just another market to tap into. Very smart business move if even one major government body makes a deal because of it.

Also, in regards to spying etc. I honestly don't care that much if the government were to investigate me or go through my personal data. I've got nothing to hide and it is not like their investigation would ever be made public anyway. They might think I'm a bit weird though, hehe...

 

[jhwalker]

Entering four digit pin takes about a second (and works 100% accurately). That's probably about on par with the sensor when sensor matches your fingerprint quickly. Since the sensor will not be able to match the fingerprint quickly all the time, in some cases it will take longer. On average sensor will probably cost you money.

. . . except my company requires at least 8 character, alpha + numeric password. It takes me about 10-15 seconds to type it in, often flub it at least once and have to start over, and cannot be typed without staring at the screen.

Fingerprint sensor is a definite win for me!

 

[HardRain]

I believe there is an optional tin-foil hat that you can purchase to help with this. (Sorry, not being mean, it was just hanging out there and I couldn't help myself).

You have obviously been living under a rock all year. See there was this guy Edward Snowden and he exposed... oh never mind.

 

[jhwalker]

All true, but who's to say they don't have a back door to grab the sensor data raw and read to another memory address space or pipe it right out?

I don't much see what the NSA would do with our finger prints anyway, they have a million other ways to link you to your phone, like oh say your phone number for just one of those...still, if they wanted your print, now they'll be able to get it.

. . . except, as explained, it doesn't store your fingerprint - so, no.

 

[bushman4]

No system is 100% secure. So for Apple to put all these backups and safeguards in place is just a big plus. Even a numerical code can be beat

 

[HardRain]

Seriously? You conspiracy jobbies crack me up.

Get over it. They know all about you already as you've just posted NSA on a message board!!

You know there were people just like you in 1930's Germany.

 

[Tophersky]

Will the next generation LifeProof cases have an additional access panel to get to the fingerprint sensor? Surely they cannot cover it up with anything. It would probably suck to have to take the case off to answer the phone.

 

[AppliedMicro]

I don't get why people get so uptight about NSA. It's there to protect you.

No, it's not.
Being a European, I might just as well feel being an adversary or lucrative (industrial espionage) target.

If you aren't doing anything wrong then they have no reason to snoop on your data. Simple.

It entirely depends on your definition of "not doing anything wrong".
How about... terrorism?
"Terrorism" needs to be prevented and prosecuted by all means, right?

Killing innocent bystanders at a Marathon event?
Protesting against social inequality and Wall Street capitalism?
Destroying America and digging up Marilyn Monroe's grave?

Where do you draw the line?

I'm happy for intelligence services to snoop on me, my phone calls and my emails, I'm not involved in anything seedy and as long as it helps keep terrorists or other aggressors away from the people I care about, they can carry on.

Great for you. How about you write the NSA to "opt-in" for personal surveillance?
Others might feel different (backed up by constitutional protection, even).

Or let's say I'm just a curious person. I'm always interested in how things work and ask questions about all kinds of stuff. So when I hear that you can create a massive bomb using diesel oil and fertilizer, I google to find out how this actually works because I'm curious. There's nothing wrong with that, but with the NSA being paranoid I might be in trouble if I want to visit Disneyland, Florida, on my next holiday.

You better not work as a farmer.

 

[mytakeontech]

Funny how people believe what NSApple spokesperson says...

 

[ramuman]

Has no one considered that your fingerprints are probably already on your phone in a few dozen places from holding it?

My concern would be my thumbprint being on the home button and being extracted. Since the sensor reads sub dermal information, I doubt it can be used to unlock the phone, but it's certainly there if someone wants a standard copy.

 

[scottsjack]

The only way to know FOR SURE is to gain the knowledge and tools to examine the physical chips and connections.

Of course, even if you did find no possible way for this data to be captured by Apple or the NSA, something tells me that you wouldn't believe your own research, because Apple is inheritently evil.

Not really. To think that ARM, an English company, and Apple, an American company, have not had their security compromised by either country's multiple security agencies is so last year.

 

[lynfordd]

Sure it stores the fingerprint on the phone. Just like they never looked at our email. Or our searches . Without a warrant.
That's what you say but I do not believe you at all.
They will be a new product soon called fake fingerprint . You can use it over your finger to protect your real fingerprint.

 

[AdonisSMU]

No system is 100% secure. So for Apple to put all these backups and safeguards in place is just a big plus. Even a numerical code can be beat

Most of the people complaining were never in the market for an iPhone to begin with.

 

[OtherJesus]

Google scans our emails and tracks us the internet... No problem! NSA wouldn't ever use that data!


Apple fingerprint scanner only stored on the chip?
Evil Apple! How dare you sell our fingerprints for profit to the NSA!!!

 

[topper24hours]

Introducing the iPhone 5S! Brought to you in partnership with the NSA.

Worst. Post. Ever.

I was SO excited that this story came out.... so I could enjoy macrumors WITHOUT the ridiculous ranting from nutters & tinfoil paranoids. I literally just came here to post that I'm glad we can all finally resume posting without the stupid NSA references.

Then..... I read this. *facepalm*

One more time for the slow readers:
iPhone does NOT store fingerprints.
It is NOT possible to extrapolate a fingerprint from an iPhone... even in a lab.
The NSA do NOT have a way to circumvent science.

Can we pretty, pretty please put this to rest???? Forever...

 

[mbh]

All this moaning is normal for Apple products. Everyone will gripe and moan and make jokes about this until they get bored and move on to something else. Then in about 6 months or a year all the Android phones will start having fingerprint sensors and nobody will say a thing.

 

[lilo777]

. . . except my company requires at least 8 character, alpha + numeric password. It takes me about 10-15 seconds to type it in, often flub it at least once and have to start over, and cannot be typed without staring at the screen.

Fingerprint sensor is a definite win for me!

It sure is. Let's just hope that the scanner is reliable (because we know that presentations and real life are two very different things)

 

[sjwr]

company security profiles

Anyone know if current corporate security profiles will still enforce passcode policy, or if touch ID will work until and if an updated security profile specifically overrides?

 

[jm001]

This is going to be like Siri... People will use it for a few months - figure out it is just easier the old way and move on.

Are you serious? People with the integrated BT devices in their cars and an iOS device with Siri love Siri. I use Siri daily making calls or sending a text in my car. Hands free. My Chevy's stereo does it all paired with Siri on my iPhone. I just press the button on my steering wheel, say "Voice", wait for the Siri beep and use voice commands to get Siri to tell me the weather, create and send a text, read a text or make and receive calls.

As for the fingerprint sensor, it's not going to be just a fad, unlike several of these Android makers who stick all kinds of bells and whistles that aren't that useful on a daily basis. Making purchases over your phone you'll need the fingerprint sensor. Way better than the old way.

 

[Edd.Dantes]

Their information says that it reads a sub-dermal layer of your print. Is it exclusive to a sub-dermal layer('s) or does it also use what we can see on the surface?

I ask because lifting someone's fingerprint, from any surface, and making a silicone copy would be fairly easy. Assuming you were to steal the phone of a high-profile person and have enough time to replicate the fingerprint before they remotely erased the data.

Just thinking "worst case" here.

 

[danemo]

Enterprise

The new 5S is clearly not a good choice for terrorists. Fingerprint + FindMyiPhone= drone time.

In seriousness, I can see fingerprint validation as a new standard for devices accessing critical corporate (or government) information. If I were giving devices to employees to take home, I think fingerprint ID would be very desirable.

 

[alexgowers]

For me the finger print ID can be used to give 100% confirmation of a user accessing a phone as it's hard locked to you. A passcode is still less secure but also less incriminating if someone wants to pin something on you.

I think for those not whistle blowing 99.9%% it's great and very speedy.

I wonder how long before samsung will add it to their phones as S-Touch or S-finger.

 

[Harrycooke]

No, it's not.
Being a European, I might just as well feel being an adversary or lucrative (industrial espionage) target.


It entirely depends on your definition of "not doing anything wrong".
How about... terrorism?
"Terrorism" needs to be prevented and prosecuted by all means, right?

Killing innocent bystanders at a Marathon event?
Protesting against social inequality and Wall Street capitalism?
Destroying America and digging up Marilyn Monroe's grave?

Where do you draw the line?


Great for you. How about you write the NSA to "opt-in" for personal surveillance?
Others might feel different (backed up by constitutional protection, even).


You better not work as a farmer.

In regards to the Occupy incident, I agree with you.

In regards to the destroy America one (one of my friends knows the bloke in the article) I think that the NSA system is obviously flawed, but one of the aims of the program is very important!

 

[AppliedMicro]

I was SO excited that this story came out.... so I could enjoy macrumors WITHOUT the ridiculous ranting from nutters & tinfoil paranoids.

What did you expect? The last few weeks have been a great time for conspiracy nuts and tinfoil paranoids. Cause, you know, many of their have been corroborated by reputable media (as opposed to only the fringe before).

iPhone does NOT store fingerprints

Not fingerprints.
But fingerprint data (which is designed to identify individual users).

It is NOT possible to extrapolate a fingerprint from an iPhone... even in a lab.

It'd be possible to identify individual iPhone users.
Not only actual owners but even one-time users ("May I quickly borrow your phone?")

Of course, this data is supposed...

"remain[] encrypted within the iPhone's processor, a company representative said Wednesday".

Until, maybe, one day it doesn't (anymore).
When it's become an asset for assuring national security.

Of course, the Apple spokesman then would be legally prohibited from telling anyone.

 

[Ajones330]

Well I've been arrested so I'm in the system... Lol