Simple biometric security features are easy to deceive. This category includes face recognition implemented in modern Android smartphones. Unfortunately, the algorithms used are so simple that they can be deceived with a printed photo. At least this is what the new OnePlus 6 looks like.
Undoubtedly, it is Apple that sets trends in the mobile devices market. The iPhone X shown last year has two features. This is the indentation in the screen (so-called notch) and Face ID face recognition system. While notch is a controversial issue in terms of design, unlocking a smartphone by recognizing the face of the user is a small misfire. Face ID presented by Apple prepares a three-dimensional model of the user’s face, which is created using a system reminiscent of miniaturized Kinect. It is true that you can cheat him, but it requires the development of a special mask. However, in the case of OnePlus 6, only a photo is enough.
I printed my face to unlock my OnePlus 6 for the lulz… it worked ¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/rAVMq8JKBr
— rik (@rikvduijn) May 29, 2018
Face recognition in OnePlus 6 is not a real protection
OnePlus is perfectly aware of the fact that the user’s face recognition mechanism is far from ideal. The company referred to the recordings of Internet users and pointed out that this function is only used to unlock the smartphone. It can not be used to authorize the user by banking applications or when confirming payments. A much safer fingerprint reader is used for such operations. It is worth remembering that other manufacturers have the same problem. That’s why Samsung also uses the iris scanner, which is also not perfect, but it can not be cheated in such a trivial way.
Apple is currently at the forefront of biometrics security. Engineers from Cupertino worked very hard on Face ID, because their company wanted to prepare a bezel-less smartphone. However, Apple did not want to mount the fingerprint reader on the back of the casing, and the sensors mounted under the OLED screens still need to be refined. That’s why Android smartphone manufacturers now have two options. They can work on fingerprint readers integrated with OLED displays or a three-dimensional facial recognition system. Until then, solutions similar to Face Unlock from OnePlus 6 will only be a marketing operation aimed at attracting less technically oriented clients.
Source: Twitter
