Face unlock works when your eyes are closed (ugh)

[Mr Segundus]

Just read this tidbit - In its current form, face unlock works when your eyes are closed. So, someone can just hold it up to your face.

This is unfortunate. I don't have any immediate concern that someone in my family will stick my phone in front of my face in the middle of the night, it's a matter of good security practice and this is a big hole.

The article says there is evidence that Google is working on requiring your eyes to be open.

Read it here:
https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/17...4-face-unlock-eyes-closed-privacy-eye-contact

Just... ugh.

How is that any different than someone grabbing your finger and unlocking your phone at night? Some things people come up with...

 

[Torisen1]

Fingerprint unlocks with your eyes closed, when you are asleep, passed out, knocked out or dead.

 

[kjharrison]

How is that any different than someone grabbing your finger and unlocking your phone at night? Some things people come up with...

I sometimes think these are things that come up because blogs need content. I do think the eyes closed thing isn't optimal, but it's a minor issue. Also, I'm sure they'll change it to working only when your eyes are open.

If people are so concerned about their phone being unlocked while sleeping, perhaps Google can make it not unlock when there's drool.

 

[bhatech]

I sometimes think these are things that come up because blogs need content. I do think the eyes closed thing isn't optimal, but it's a minor issue. Also, I'm sure they'll change it to working only when your eyes are open.

If people are so concerned about their phone being unlocked while sleeping, perhaps Google can make it not unlock when there's drool.

Oh it absolutely is, every site has traffic metrics on what generates the most traffic. Currently I’m pretty sure anything related to pixel will generate most traffic especially controversial stuff. So each and every thing will result in a new article.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I have honestly never been wild about any biometric unlock. You can be knocked out, and your fingerprint will still unlock your phone. I was under the impression Apple's face id worked with your eyes closed.

 

[PaulQ]

How is that any different than someone grabbing your finger and unlocking your phone at night? Some things people come up with...

I'm not in total disagreement with the spirit of this point (being made by a few people) but.... to be fair... "grabbing your finger" involves touching the person, possibly manipulating their hand.

Face unlock sounds like you can just hold the phone up at a distance from their face. No contact.

I see where people are coming from and it's part of the reason I didn't cancel my order.

 

[PaulQ]

Reading my Twitter feed... funny. Thought you guys would appreciate the juxtaposition of the headlines.

 

[warrenM41]

I have honestly never been wild about any biometric unlock. You can be knocked out, and your fingerprint will still unlock your phone. I was under the impression Apple's face id worked with your eyes closed.

It's an option, one that several iPhone users mentioned they use. BUT there's also the default "eyes open".

To me not a big deal, as I said there's a lot of iPhone users who choose that for various reasons, darker glasses or whatever. Sooner rather than later Google will add it.

 

[milehigherik]

So without reading through all of the concerns what I see here’s that you guys purchased a phone without reading all the details. They didn’t remove the fingerprint scanner after you ordered it. The fact that you have horrible family members that would stick your phone in front of your face is not googles problem. Your banking apps work just fine on iOS which is face on lock only.

 

[duratime]

How cool would it be if they had wink lockdown? If you have one eye opened and the other closed, it goes on lockdown.

 

[mustang7757]

How cool would it be if they had wink lockdown? If you have one eye opened and the other closed, it goes on lockdown.

Or you winked and went to selfie camera
Close both eyes and turns off the phone .

 

[duratime]

Or you winked and went to selfie camera
Close both eyes and turns off the phone .

Like that too. Before with the fingerprint sensor, I always thought they should allow different functions for different fingers. Like use the middle finger to go straight to camera. It seems like a natural transition to expect more from these technologies, right?

 

[mustang7757]

Like that too. Before with the fingerprint sensor, I always thought they should allow different functions for different fingers. Like use the middle finger to go straight to camera. It seems like a natural transition to expect more from these technologies, right?

Hahaha ..yup

 

[duratime]

Maybe also have a lockdown word that locks the phone down no matter what app it is in.

 

[Wiley_11]

If it ain't one thing it's another.

"Unlike a stolen password, biometrics data cannot be changed."


https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-s...ning-fingerprint-and-facial-recognition-data/

 

[almath]

So without reading through all of the concerns what I see here’s that you guys purchased a phone without reading all the details. They didn’t remove the fingerprint scanner after you ordered it. The fact that you have horrible family members that would stick your phone in front of your face is not googles problem. Your banking apps work just fine on iOS which is face on lock only.

 

[Torisen1]

Maybe also have a lockdown word that locks the phone down no matter what app it is in.

^^^^^^
This

 

[PaulQ]

How about just shake to lockdown?

I thought of this because Microsoft OneDrive still has this option: Shake to send feedback

Silly.

And yes, I just sat here shaking my phone over and over to see if it works outside the app.

... it doesn't.

 

[sulla1965]

It just never ends. The Pixel 2 will forever be tied to blue shift, pixel 3 XL with the ugly notch, now the Pixel 4 with the faulty face unlock.

 

[SupraLB]

Google says it will be a few months before they have a fix.

Here’s Google’s new statement in full:

We’ve been working on an option for users to require their eyes to be open to unlock the phone, which will be delivered in a software update in the coming months. In the meantime, if any Pixel 4 users are concerned that someone may take their phone and try to unlock it while their eyes are closed, they can activate a security feature that requires a pin, pattern or password for the next unlock. Pixel 4 face unlock meets the security requirements as a strong biometric, and can be used for payments and app authentication, including banking apps. It is resilient against invalid unlock attempts via other means, like with masks.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/20...ace-unlock-eyes-security-update-coming-months