Should we worry about our hands appearing in photos? Maybe, at least according to new research published by a hacking group named Chaos Computer Club (CCC), which recently proved it was able to grab fingerprints direct from photos “that show your fingers,” according to VentureBeat. The hacking group even tested its tech on Ursula von der Leyen, Germany’s defense minister.
The technique might scare folks who use fingerprint readers on devices such as the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but the CCC hasn’t been able to use its images to crack those systems just yet. Of course, vulnerabilities for Touch ID already exist.
The CCC previously figured out how to crack Apple’s system using an un-smudged print from the owner’s finger. That process still required over a thousand dollars worth of equipment to pull off, and more than 30 hours of work, leading Apple to say that average consumers shouldn’t be worried.
Snapping photos of someone’s hand in public is a lot easier than finding a perfect fingerprint, though you’ll still need to get your hands on the actual device either way. We wouldn’t worry to much about this hack for now, though if you’re paranoid you could always wear gloves in public just to be safe.
