Why I Hacked Apple’s TouchID, And Still Think It Is Awesome.

Marc Rogers explains how he hacked Apple’s Touch ID, in a manner very similar to CCC’s.

I quote:

Does this mean TouchID is flawed and that it should be avoided? The answer to that isn’t as simple as you might think. Yes, TouchID has flaws, and yes, it’s possible to exploit those flaws and unlock an iPhone. But, the reality is these flaws are not something that the average consumer should worry about. Why? Because exploiting them was anything but trivial.

Hacking TouchID relies upon a combination of skills, existing academic research and the patience of a Crime Scene Technician.

The original claim that Touch ID was hacked using everyday tools and objects available to all still holds true, but it also needs extreme patience and knowledge, and most of all a usable print, which is not so common apparently.

One thing to note from this story: the thumb is the least likely finger to leave a usable fingerprint. I would have thought the little finger was the most uncommon one, but apparently the most used finger also leaves the most smudged prints. Cunning.