4 ms·
Touch ID is a fun case in security where bad is better. Fingerprint authentication on a fingerprint magnet seems like a foolish idea until you realize the alter
by phlo 10y ago
Touch ID is a fun case in security where bad is better. Fingerprint authentication on a fingerprint magnet seems like a foolish idea until you realize the alternative (for the majority of users) is 4-digit PINs[1], not strong passwords.
[1] http://www.datagenetics.com/blog/september32012/ http://www.datagenetics.com/blog/september32012/
- emodendroket 10y agoThe Android password pattern thing apparently offers close to 400k possibilities so it's considerably better than PINs.
- wcoenen 10y agoI used patterns for a while, until I noticed that I could simply see the unlock pattern on the greasy screen if the sunlight hit it just right.
- emodendroket 10y agoAnd PINs don't have the same problem?
- alblue 10y agoNot really - with a pattern you drag from one loaction to another. With a PIN you tend not to drag your finger along but lift and press. In addition with PINs you can have diagonally opposite numbers (e.g. 1-9 or 3-7) but with patterns you don't have that unless you use 5 on the way (e.g. 1-5-9 or 3-5-7). In fact most people will have the central dot in their pattern recognition somewhere in the middle just through human nature.
- koolba 10y ago> In fact most people will have the central dot in their pattern recognition somewhere in the middle just through human nature. Yep. Either that or just the classic double circle.
- emodendroket 10y agoYeah, of course, but you have prints showing what numbers are involved. Not so different from the patterns.