[anon(679606)]

There are many items on media about this. Why doesn't BlackBerry address this simply with time dependent two finger authentication with short delay between scans? NYU engineers even produced generic finger print generators to successfully enter devices. Also, why not make levels of unlocking si data may be unopened by simple print this use for coffee purchase...?

Posted via CB10

[Rico4you]

Hello what is your point here? BlackBerry is about to release the KEYone in the US and all reviews praise the speed of fingerprint sensor and how it is brilliantly put in the space bar. Honestly can't wait to get my KEYONE with the added bonus of BlackBerry security.

[Alain_A]

Finger print sensor is the least secure

[Uzi]

http://crackberry.com/fingerprint-ca...ckberry-keyone

[Rico4you]

Its optional to use. That simple . But is there if you want it. Not using does not interfere in using the phone. You can use picture lock if that's your preference.

[fixit1971]

Don't know if this has been mentioned before on other discussion groups, and if it has, sorry to ask again, but is "picture lock, the equivalent to "picture password" on BlackBerry. Thanks

Posted using Z30 on CB

[MatthiasHannover]

Don't know if this has been mentioned before on other discussion groups, and if it has, sorry to ask again, but is "picture lock, the equivalent to "picture password" on BlackBerry. Thanks

Posted using Z30 on CB

Yes

[fixit1971]

Yes

Thanks...good to hear...plan on getting the Keyone when available at the end of the month

Posted using Z30 on CB

[Emaderton3]

Is it really for security or convenience?

Posted via CB10

[Aplus23]

Picture password on the blackberry 10 is amazing lol. When I show ppl that they get all confuse when trying to open my phone

Posted via CB10

[Adam Frix]

Finger print sensor is the least secure

Why?

[conite]

There are many items on media about this. Why doesn't BlackBerry address this simply with time dependent two finger authentication with short delay between scans? NYU engineers even produced generic finger print generators to successfully enter devices. Also, why not make levels of unlocking si data may be unopened by simple print this use for coffee purchase...?

Posted via CB10

Fingerprint is for convenience - not security. If you're concerned, don't use it.

[conite]

Why?

Law enforcement, on the spot, can ask you for biometric unlocking, but not passwords.

If you work in sensitive areas, someone can lop your finger off to access your phone. Or a nasty spouse can unlock your device at night.

[Ment]

Its 'good enough' security. Banks etc will take the 0.001% chance that someone will break into an individual device so that 99.999% of all the other users will use a baseline higher security scheme in their device.

[ltoncb]

.... Why doesn't BlackBerry address this simply with time dependent two finger authentication with short delay between scans? NYU engineers even produced generic finger print generators to successfully enter devices.
0

this NYU 'finger print generator"?

So You Think You Can Secure Your Mobile Phone With a Fingerprint? | NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Two fingers with a delay isn't the root problem. From article.
' “As fingerprint sensors become smaller in size, it is imperative for the resolution of the sensors to be significantly improved in order for them to capture additional fingerprint features,” ...'


As much as some people bark at putting the fingerprint sensor on the back, it is actually a better location. First, you don't have to shrink the sensor size very small. You can keep the area fingerprint area size.

( arguments against the back usually conflate home button usage (or similar basic screen interaction ) with actual real need for the fingerprint (some secure action). Also typically unlocking while not holding phone 'requirements'. )


Super fast, cheap, and small versus super accurate, affordable, and large enough fingerprint readers are a bit in conflict.



Fingerprint readers fall into "good enough" security in that people will actually use it. You can make the phone lock very often but many people will balk at the overhead if need to unlock the phone dozens (or more) times a day.

[Adam Frix]

Law enforcement, on the spot, can ask you for biometric unlocking, but not passwords.

If you work in sensitive areas, someone can lop your finger off to access your phone. Or a nasty spouse can unlock your device at night.

That's why fingerprint access is only a convenience item. It requires PIN or similar be set up first.

So when the phone is locked via admin action, it is locked and cannot be unlocked by fingerprint. Power on is one example. I have some things that occasionally happen on my LG V10 that do this also--I'll come to my phone wake it up, and the PIN entry screen is staring at me, waiting.

The rule of thumb (pun intended) has always been, if you're stopped by the police, turn your phone off. They can't get into it then.

Discussion here has been around using the K1 convenience key to administratively lock the phone quickly, to force entry of a PIN code.

And to date, the police can't force you to disclose the PIN code.

So fingerprint is great--it keeps out the VAST majority of the problem, which is casual gawkers. But it is by design not intended to be anything more than a supplemental security feature at that level.

[anon(679606)]

I have never had a bio metric device. I would hope several security locks can be used for different parts. Fingerprint to do payments and other means for private stuff...

[TheBond]

You can still lock the device using 'K' and it'll ask you for PIN every time.
I think fingerprint lock is just a little better than the swipe to unlock the device option.

[Adam Frix]

Of course fingerprint unlock is better than swipe to unlock. It's significantly better. It keeps 99.999999999% of the people out of your phone.

But it was never intended to keep police out of your phone.

How secure is your car? You lock it, right? Well, that doesn't stop people from taking your car or its contents. Locking your car stops only the casual thief. Someone can break a window to root around the contents, or someone could--in ten seconds--hook your car up with a tow rig and be out of sight before you know it. So sure, anything can happen. Does that mean you don't use the door locks? Just because "anything can happen that the door locks won't stop"?

To say "someone could cut off your thumb" is utterly ridiculous and, frankly, childish. If you want to wear your foil hat and focus on the things that have close to zero odds of happening, fine. Fortunately for the rest of us, the industry give the rest of the public reasonable tools--PIN code at the base layer, fingerprint for casual use on top of that--to manage their lives.

I will happily use FPS daily, knowing full well that I can administratively lock my phone on demand should circumstances warrant. I will go about my life unencumbered by thoughts of "what if they cut off my thumb?".

[conite]

To say "someone could cut off your thumb" is utterly ridiculous and, frankly, childish. If you want to wear your foil hat and focus on the things that have close to zero odds of happening, fine.

Of course it's ridiculous, but there are countless stories of people being forced to give up their fingerprints to cops, the DOJ, border agencies, and other groups. Many are simply fishing expeditions.

People do complain about college "buddies", parents, spouses, and kids getting into the phone at night while the user is asleep.

DTEK60 / Z30

[TheBond]

Of course it's ridiculous, but there are countless stories of people being forced to give up their fingerprints to cops, the DOJ, border agencies, and other groups. Many are simply fishing expeditions.

People do complain about college "buddies", parents, spouses, and kids getting into the phone at night while the user is asleep.

DTEK60 / Z30

Just ensure the device is either rebooted or locked using 'K'. Yes you can remote lock it too. They will all require PIN after that.

Agree with the post above, it'll keep 99.99% of people out of my phone.

[conite]

Just ensure the device is either rebooted or locked using 'K'. Yes you can remote lock it too. They will all require PIN after that.

Agree with the post above, it'll keep 99.99% of people out of my phone.

Of course. I'm just talking about the pitfalls of straight up using fingerprint only.

Don't get me wrong, I use it myself.

DTEK60 / Z30

[Adam Frix]

Of course it's ridiculous, but there are countless stories of people being forced to give up their fingerprints to cops, the DOJ, border agencies, and other groups. Many are simply fishing expeditions.

People do complain about college "buddies", parents, spouses, and kids getting into the phone at night while the user is asleep.

Yes. There are countless such stories of people being forced to give up their fingerprints. So? As I said, fingerprint is not the sole or underlying control to the phone; it's an overlay for convenience, on top of the required PIN. You can't set up fingerprint access without a more substantial underlayment of security in place.

So go ahead, ask for my fingerprint at the side of the street. Per the Supreme Court, I can't stop the cops from doing that. But if my fingerprint won't open the phone, then what?

So yeah, while my phone is on my desk when I'm away for a moment, no one can get into it. But if the cops bust in, grab the phone, and demand to see me to use my finger...well, so be it.

If I'm worried about that happening--and I'm not--then I will simply choose to avoid the fingerprint access method altogether. But for the average person, there's zero reason not to use the fingerprint method as the normal, everyday mechanism to unlock your phone.

[Adam Frix]

Of course. I'm just talking about the pitfalls of straight up using fingerprint only.

But you can't use fingerprint only. That was the very basis of everything I've been saying.

You cannot set up an Android phone for fingerprint access unless you first set up a stronger security mechanism as the base security of the phone.

Given that base security mechanism, and how fingerprint fits into the structure, there's zero reason NOT to use fingerprint. It certainly helps if you understand HOW to use it best.

[conite]

But you can't use fingerprint only. That was the very basis of everything I've been saying.

You cannot set up an Android phone for fingerprint access unless you first set up a stronger security mechanism as the base security of the phone.

Given that base security mechanism, and how fingerprint fits into the structure, there's zero reason NOT to use fingerprint. It certainly helps if you understand HOW to use it best.

I use it myself. Not sure why you seem so angry.

If one isn't careful and lock their device before they go to bed, then they are vulnerable. Not everyone is as wise regarding security.

I started this thread by saying a fingerprint is for convenience, but not security.