When he launched the Galaxy S10 models, Samsung said he is using an innovative scanner.It has now proved to be prone to a huge problem: it works with any fingerprint.However, not in any conditions.
There are two types of fingerprint readers: optical and ultrasonic.The first uses a photo sensor that makes, a picture of the fingerprint and compare it to the recorded one.The latter uses vibrations to identify the fingerprint pattern with the one on the phone.Samsung chose the latter Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10.
The problem was now discovered by a woman in the UK who applied a protective gel on the screen.He then discovered that he can unlock the phone with a fingerprint other than the one recorded.And, moreover, that any fingerprint works.
Samsung said he knows the problem and will solve it with a software update.
Why Samsung Galaxy S10 (and maybe the other models) can be unlocked in this way
Unlike an optical reader, the ultrasonic one is based on the 3D model that vibrations generate.Thus, it does not use light, like the other, and works even when you are wet on your hands.However, it is not as fast and, as this case, it cannot be used with any foil or gel.
Since Samsung claims that it can solve the problem by software, it means that the hardware level is fine.Even so, obviously there are ways to deceive such a system.The most complicated is to create a 3D mold.
What happens now is that we see, once again, how easy to deceive such readers are.Of course, facial authentication solutions also have problems, but it is harder to replicate someone's face.
At the same time, it is very likely that the Galaxy S11 Samsung will use a system similar to Google and Apple.Motion Sense, respectively ID, are, for now, the most useful, fast and intuitive modes.
In the past, Samsung has tried something similar to scanning the iris, but has given up the idea on the last phones.