Fingerprint Scanner & Passcode

[oks10]

This is normal. Android requires you to enter the passcode every four days. This is to prevent someone stealing your fingerprint and being able to use the phone indefinitely.

Ah, ok. I mean that makes sense.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

This is normal. Android requires you to enter the passcode every four days. This is to prevent someone stealing your fingerprint and being able to use the phone indefinitely.

Stealing my fingerprint?

I imagine it'd be easier for someone to find out my pin code than somehow replicate my fingerprint.

 

[anony_mouse]

Stealing my fingerprint?

I imagine it'd be easier for someone to find out my pin code than somehow replicate my fingerprint.

There are obvious ways to steal your fingerprint but they are not very nice.
There are less obvious ways to steal your fingerprint too. Read this: https://android.stackexchange.com/q...red-less-secure-than-pattern-lock-on-nexus-5x

 

[chanchan05]

Stealing my fingerprint?

I imagine it'd be easier for someone to find out my pin code than somehow replicate my fingerprint.

Phones are fingerprint magnets nowadays. It's very likely that your fingerprint can be taken off that.

Also, I maybe mistaken, but I recall that a passcode is needed on restart because the phone is encrypted and can't access the stored fingerprint without being decrypted first.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

There are obvious ways to steal your fingerprint but they are not very nice.
There are less obvious ways to steal your fingerprint too. Read this: https://android.stackexchange.com/q...red-less-secure-than-pattern-lock-on-nexus-5x

Interesting. Scary stuff if that happens to you.

 

[anony_mouse]

Interesting. Scary stuff if that happens to you.

If it worries you, then it's better not to use your fingerprints to unlock your phone (or for any other purpose).

 

[Mike Dee]

This is normal. Android requires you to enter the passcode every four days. This is to prevent someone stealing your fingerprint and being able to use the phone indefinitely.

Are you sure? I don't have to enter my pin code every 4 days.

 

[Mike Dee]

Phones are fingerprint magnets nowadays. It's very likely that your fingerprint can be taken off that.

Also, I maybe mistaken, but I recall that a passcode is needed on restart because the phone is encrypted and can't access the stored fingerprint without being decrypted first.

It is a security system which protects your fingerprint data. The major reason we need it though is to provide an alternative to access the phone in the even you FPS fails or fails to recognize your prints.

 

[anony_mouse]

Are you sure? I don't have to enter my pin code every 4 days.

I can't guarantee that all Android phones are the same, but mine certainly does this. Huawei phones are reported to ask every three days, and Nexus phones after 48 hours - see the "unlock your device" section at https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/6285273?hl=en):

 

[anony_mouse]

It is a security system which protects your fingerprint data. The major reason we need it though is to provide an alternative to access the phone in the even you FPS fails or fails to recognize your prints.

Actually @chanchan05 might be right. The fingerprints are stored in a secure part of the phone. In some designs (I can't say for sure about Android phones), this secure storage will not divulge any data until it has been unlocked using a PIN. This prevents someone from stealing your phone, taking it apart or installing new software on it, and simply recovering your fingerprint data from the secure storage.

 

[Mike Dee]

Actually @chanchan05 might be right. The fingerprints are stored in a secure part of the phone. In some designs (I can't say for sure about Android phones), this secure storage will not divulge any data until it has been unlocked using a PIN. This prevents someone from stealing your phone, taking it apart or installing new software on it, and simply recovering your fingerprint data from the secure storage.

That's what I said....the pin code protects the finger print data, (as well as other data) however by design it required as an alternative means to access your phone if FPS, Face or Iris authentication fails.