Facial recognition not very secure?

[Mooncatt]

This is why I won't use facial recognition as a security feature.

https://fox6now.com/2019/05/17/phot...s-facial-recognition-system-catch-beer-thief/

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

What does it say. Article not available in the UK

 

[chanchan05]

It was never supposed to be for security but for convenience. My S9 even warns when you try to enable it that it is not very secure and it could be opened by a photo of you.

 

[mustang7757]

This is why I won't use facial recognition as a security feature.

https://fox6now.com/2019/05/17/phot...s-facial-recognition-system-catch-beer-thief/

You need Iris scanner or apple face id for facial unlock.

 

[Mooncatt]

What does it say. Article not available in the UK

Someone robbed a store, but the security video was too pixelated for law enforcement facial recognition to get a match. One detective thought he looked like an actor, so they ran a high resolution image of the actor through the facial recognition program and got 11 hits. One of them was the suspect they had arrested.

They discussed how even forensics level facial recognition software can't be trusted to be very accurate.

 

[keifferr]

I think iris and fingerprint scanning are more secure than using facial recognition.

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

You need Iris scanner or apple face id for facial unlock.

But what about FaceID does one need for it to be secure? I can't imagine that Apple will be the only one to crack the code.

Was listening to Jerry on an AC pod a few weeks back claiming that facial biometrics are arguable more secure, it's just that we're trying to figure out a way to balance the security and convenience when integrating it into a phone.

I'll have to dig into some literature about this...

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

It was never supposed to be for security but for convenience. My S9 even warns when you try to enable it that it is not very secure and it could be opened by a photo of you.

I think early adaptations like the S9, you're absolutely right, but I think newer versions that rely on dedicated hardware and not just a FFC might arguably be more secure.

 

[mustang7757]

But what about FaceID does one need for it to be secure? I can't imagine that Apple will be the only one to crack the code.

Was listening to Jerry on an AC pod a few weeks back claiming that facial biometrics are arguable more secure, it's just that we're trying to figure out a way to balance the security and convenience when integrating it into a phone.

I'll have to dig into some literature about this...

Yeah face ID should be secured, especially if using for unlocking phone or banking apps , Apple has couple years experience experience and each year perfected if . Samsung had the Iris scanner I thought was very good just needed to fine tune it . Now Google getting on with face id so we see how well they do . My note 10+ ,1+7pro has facial recognition for ease of unlocking but not as secure and I leave them disabled .

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

So based on data from a quick Google search, what really makes facial recognition secure or not is how the device reads your face.
In instances like mustang7757's with the OP7P and Note 10+, they are considered not secure because they use the front-facing camera to identify your face, which is a 2d image. Like a number of you have said, this means someone can easily spoof it with a picture of you.
On the other hand, what Apple's FaceID does, and what I expect the Pixel 4 will be doing is using 3D IR mapping to identify you. This uses thousands of little IR dots on your face to map a 3D image to figure out if it's you. A picture can't fake this. Additionally, what will make it harder for a twin or relative to fool it will be the algorithm that is used. The device will need to learn the different variations of your face with age, orientation (so you don't have to be straight on every time), etc, and use it to know what slight variations are yours and which aren't (for example, you wouldn't magically grow a mole on your cheek over the course of an hour, so that mustn't be you).
The last component will be how the device uses your face as a key. For it to be secure, it would need to be entirely local to the device, and never be uploaded to the cloud. But Google and Apple have been doing this with secure chips and fingerprints for years, so I'm assuming that will be held constant when switching to face ID.

TL;DR: The hardware that the device uses, and what algorithm will make the difference between secure and not, so some devices are quite secure, and others aren't. Read above to know the difference.

Edit: Sources
https://www.npr.org/2019/05/21/7252...f-woody-harrelson-to-catch-alleged-beer-thief

https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-x-faceid-security/

https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-10-all-the-key-features-and-specs-that-are-missing/

https://www.npr.org/2018/10/08/655635901/how-good-and-how-secure-is-facial-recognition-technology

https://hackernoon.com/facial-recognition-login-is-this-the-new-security-standard-3o27930qc

 

[mustang7757]

So based on data from a quick Google search, what really makes facial recognition secure or not is how the device reads your face.
In instances like mustang7757's with the OP7P and Note 10+, they are considered not secure because they use the front-facing camera to identify your face, which is a 2d image. Like a number of you have said, this means someone can easily spoof it with a picture of you.
On the other hand, what Apple's FaceID does, and what I expect the Pixel 4 will be doing is using 3D IR mapping to identify you. This uses thousands of little IR dots on your face to map a 3D image to figure out if it's you. A picture can't fake this. Additionally, what will make it harder for a twin or relative to fool it will be the algorithm that is used. The device will need to learn the different variations of your face with age, orientation (so you don't have to be straight on every time), etc, and use it to know what slight variations are yours and which aren't (for example, you wouldn't magically grow a mole on your cheek over the course of an hour, so that mustn't be you).
The last component will be how the device uses your face as a key. For it to be secure, it would need to be entirely local to the device, and never be uploaded to the cloud. But Google and Apple have been doing this with secure chips and fingerprints for years, so I'm assuming that will be held constant when switching to face ID.

TL;DR: The hardware that the device uses, and what algorithm will make the difference between secure and not, so some devices are quite secure, and others aren't. Read above to know the difference.

Good write up

 

[Golurk]

The Mate 20 Pro has secure 3D facial recognition as well I believe. Fingerprint scanners and Iris scanning are also alternatives which are secure.