4 ms·

If your iphone is locked, how about a log of the thumbprints that attempt to open the phone sent to an escrow account that only Apple and you can open with shar

by otoburb 10y ago

If your iphone is locked, how about a log of the thumbprints that attempt to open the phone sent to an escrow account that only Apple and you can open with shared passwords? The existence of the feature would hopefully act as one more trivial inconvenience to deter more thieves.

deleted 10y ago
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yo-code-sucks 10y ago
Unfortunately every fingerprint reader outputs a unique hash per fingerprint, which is why if you break it you can loose all of your data. So even with a thiefs hash's you'd still need the thief to prove it was them.
- newscracker 10y ago
  I'm being a bit pedantic about the "every fingerprint reader" mention and am assuming that mention also includes non-Apple devices. HTC and Samsung phones have, in the past, stored fingerprint images in an accessible location. What's worse was that the fingerprint image would be refreshed with every swipe/finger touch! [1]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/10/htc-fingerprints-world-readable-unencrypted-folder https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/10/htc-finge... [2]: http://betanews.com/2015/08/11/htc-and-samsung-phones-storing-unencrypted-fingerprints/ http://betanews.com/2015/08/11/htc-and-samsung-phones-storin...
dcgoss 10y ago
Wow, this is a pretty great idea. However, I feel it would be difficult to track the thief down with only a fingerprint. Also someone is going to complain about the privacy/security implisecurity of sending fingerprint data through the internet.
- otoburb 10y ago
  Agreed, but ideally logging would only commence after the phone is locked via Find My iPhone.
snowwrestler 10y ago
I don't think the TouchID sensor captures or stores actual images of fingerprints in a way that is accessible to applications.
- otoburb 10y ago
  On the one hand, that is somewhat reassuring for happy paths. For this particular use-case, that's a bummer.
  - kevincox 10y ago
    It would probably be a significant security flaw. Imagine you press it but for whatever reason it doesn't register. Now your "incorrect" fingerprint is flying over the internet. With a bit of retouching or guessing your original fingerprint can now be recovered. ...not that your fingerprints aren't all over your phone anyways...
SeeDave 10y ago
This is an incredible idea that would add serious value to customers, which is precisely why the product managers (most of whom are complete idiots and totally oblivious) will completely and totally ignore it.
subliminalpanda 10y ago
Only a hash of the fingerprint is stored on the device.
deleted 10y ago
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by otoburb 10y ago

deleted 10y ago

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yo-code-sucks 10y ago

Unfortunately every fingerprint reader outputs a unique hash per fingerprint, which is why if you break it you can loose all of your data. So even with a thiefs hash's you'd still need the thief to prove it was them.

newscracker 10y ago
I'm being a bit pedantic about the "every fingerprint reader" mention and am assuming that mention also includes non-Apple devices. HTC and Samsung phones have, in the past, stored fingerprint images in an accessible location. What's worse was that the fingerprint image would be refreshed with every swipe/finger touch! [1]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/10/htc-fingerprints-world-readable-unencrypted-folder https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/10/htc-finge... [2]: http://betanews.com/2015/08/11/htc-and-samsung-phones-storing-unencrypted-fingerprints/ http://betanews.com/2015/08/11/htc-and-samsung-phones-storin...

dcgoss 10y ago

Wow, this is a pretty great idea. However, I feel it would be difficult to track the thief down with only a fingerprint. Also someone is going to complain about the privacy/security implisecurity of sending fingerprint data through the internet.

otoburb 10y ago
Agreed, but ideally logging would only commence after the phone is locked via Find My iPhone.

snowwrestler 10y ago

I don't think the TouchID sensor captures or stores actual images of fingerprints in a way that is accessible to applications.

otoburb 10y ago
On the one hand, that is somewhat reassuring for happy paths. For this particular use-case, that's a bummer.
- kevincox 10y ago
  It would probably be a significant security flaw. Imagine you press it but for whatever reason it doesn't register. Now your "incorrect" fingerprint is flying over the internet. With a bit of retouching or guessing your original fingerprint can now be recovered. ...not that your fingerprints aren't all over your phone anyways...

SeeDave 10y ago

This is an incredible idea that would add serious value to customers, which is precisely why the product managers (most of whom are complete idiots and totally oblivious) will completely and totally ignore it.

subliminalpanda 10y ago

Only a hash of the fingerprint is stored on the device.

deleted 10y ago

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