
Apple’s new iPhone X facial recognition technology isn’t as secure as they claim. Security experts based in Singapore have used a 3D scanner to re-create owner faces, then used them to bypass security on the iPhone X.
Another incident found a mother surprised that her 10-year-old son could bypass the facial recognition to unlock her device as well.
Apple has never formally claimed that this facial recognition technology is uncrackable or perfect, however the company has stated that the fingerprint scanner Touch ID is very secure. Samsung has also run into this problem in the past with its facial recognition technology. Samsung’s version could be cracked with a simple photo of the owner.
The 10-year-old boy unlocked his mother’s iPhone X by simply looking at the screen. The parents of the boy Attaullah Malik and Sana Sherwani claim their son unlocked the phone because of his similar facial features to his mother.
Children could bypass security measures on iPhones based on appearance, since they will often have similar or exact facial features to their parents. This is not the only problem Apple is facing with this technology.
Security experts have gone through extreme lengths to unlock the iPhone X with this mask, so it’s unlikely criminals will do this before stealing a device. However a spokesperson from Apple discussed how problematic this issue can be for high profile names.
Potential targets could include billionaires, leaders of major corporations, nation leaders, and special agents. Hackers and spies could use this to gather sensitive or top-secret intelligence.
Apple is now working with mask makers to prevent scenarios like this from happening again. Apple workers have even gone to work with professional mask makers and make-up artists in Hollywood to protect against these attempts by Hackers.