Apple Face ID can be cracked with 3D mask

Since the launch of Face ID, everyone in technology, especially in the testing field, is after the Face ID to prove it can be cracked or it has flaws in it. There are several reports claiming they have tricked the Face ID and break into the phone. Bloomberg’s report on Apple’s reduced Face ID also created so much of debate among the technology leaders.

But this time it was a real test for Apple’s Face ID, Apple has played its cards on its new Face ID feature which came in the iPhone X for the first time and it has been under the strong surveillance since its launch by technology enthusiasts and testers around the world. A Vietnamese cybersecurity firm Bkav reportedly cracked the Face ID for the second time with more elaborative mask spending on $150 on materials.

The researchers were able to trick the Face ID with a 3D printed mask of the owner’s face made out of stone powder. The infrared images of the person’s eyes were printed on a paper and glued on the facial model in order to trick the iPhone X’s infrared sensing ability to think that real eyes were looking at it, and that was pretty clever.

Bkav also recommended high profile officials, national leaders, and other security echelons should be cautious about the security of Face ID. The researchers have found that with a more elaborate mask the Face ID is not secure enough to be used in business transactions such as; Apple Pay as well as other key tasks that could be performed on the phone.

However, the actual process of breaking into the phone is still hard for the masses, you will have to have special equipment, high-quality photo of the person’s face as well as undisturbed access to the victim’s phone, all the scenarios converging at the same point is difficult in most cases though.

However, the process is proved to be a really good to fool the device within 5 attempts because after 5 failed attempts on Face ID the phone asks for a manual passcode.

Due to this research, Apple Face ID could also be improved to the next level, for instance, Apple can add an extra layer of security to the feature requiring the user to blink once or twice before unlocking the phone. This feature was introduced in Android Jellybean and named “liveness check” it was easily be tricked however, Apple’s IR cameras could become even harder to crack if this feature is integrated with Face ID.