Also read: Readers’ password habits in 2018 – one in two logs in with a body part
Today, it is possible to log into our computers and phones using our own body. And maybe biometrics, as it is called, is the solution that will make the numbers turn upwards in the future? It’s not really that simple. Even if a fingerprint reader possibly provides better security than simple passwords like “123456789” and “qwerty” (which, by the way, are at the top of the most common passwords), it is not enough.
Are we prepared for what it means that our fingerprints are stored on many servers around the world?
On the one hand, we have seen large leaks even when it comes to biometrics, and on the other hand the technology as such places sky-high demands on the manufacturer. Here, not only safety must be protected in the best possible way, but also privacy. Are we prepared for what it means that our fingerprints are stored on many servers around the world?
If we ignore the privacy issue for a moment and focus on security, most experts we have spoken to on the subject are in striking agreement: much more is required for us to feel secure in the future. Most of the expert advice we received results in some kind of combination between biometrics and two-step verification, that is, you are forced to confirm your login from another device.
We connect more and more in our homes, and store sensitive data in more and more devices.
At the same time, most users seem to want it as simple as possible, and preferably not to think about security. When we checked the interest in two-step verification, just under 20 percent answered that they use it everywhere they can. Understandable. I myself prefer to be able to just take my phone out of my pocket and use it right away.
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Unfortunately, the future will mean that simplicity is forced to step aside. We connect more and more in our homes, and store sensitive data in more and more devices. Nowadays, as you know, we can use our mobiles to pay with when we are out shopping, unlock our front doors from a distance and raise the heat in our houses with just a click on the mobile.
It gets even worse when we look at all the smaller companies that can hardly afford rigorous security procedures around their biometric logins.
For the tech giants, it’s not just about being at the forefront, but also starting to really talk about security issues. Because it doesn’t make sense for Apple to promise expensively and sacredly that Face ID is foolproof, you have to implement a security approach that goes further than that. Why not encourage iPhone owners to use both Face ID and some other form of login?
Face ID has already been hacked using a 3d-printed mask, let alone because it was performed in an isolated test environment. Even Samsung’s biometric system has been cracked, and they are far from the only examples. It gets even worse when we look at all the smaller companies that can hardly afford rigorous security procedures around their biometric logins. It is only a matter of time before a major leak occurs.