3 ms·
At this point in time, the 4-digit PIN on the IPhone is protection against someone casually looking at the phone when you've left it on your desk. It takes 10 m
by casca 13y ago
At this point in time, the 4-digit PIN on the IPhone is protection against someone casually looking at the phone when you've left it on your desk. It takes 10 minutes to remove the PIN lock and keep the data intact without using specialist tools. With specialist tools the data can just be read and the owner will never know as the PIN lock will stay on.
Given that, the fingerprint reader will be an improvement for most people. It keeps the same level of security and makes people feel like they're in the future when they unlock their phones.
- devx 13y agoThe problem with fingerprints is that you only have so many of them, and you really don't want them to get compromised, because you can't change them. If your main fingerprints get stolen, that pretty much means you'll never be able to use them in your lifetime, unless you risk having the "bad guys" using those fingerprints in your name. And that's besides the fact that the government could try to eventually collect all those fingerprints in some way.
- casca 13y agoThis is a different problem with fingerprints and biometrics in general. You leave them around wherever you go so they are easily collected by others for reuse. But to provide a very basic level of protection for unimportant data, they should be fine.