[Video] How Starbug Bypassed Apple’s Touch ID Sensor

When Apple unveiled iPhone 5S together with its Touch ID sensor, many hailed it as an excellent new feature. However, since the launch, many have devised ways to circumvent the fingerprint sensor security. Now, Starbug from ‘Chaos Computer Club’ has posted a video of how he was able to accomplish this.


Apple Touch ID sensor

It would surprise many that according to Starbug, he had hoped that Touch ID sensor would offer far better security but on the contrary, he was able to bypass it rather easily.

Starbug apparently spent a lot of time finding out the details about the specific sensor that Apple has used in the new flagship smartphone. In his own words, ‘It took me nearly 30 hours from unpacking the iPhone to a [bypass] that worked reliably. With better preparation it would have taken approximately half an hour. I spent significantly more time trying to find out information on the technical specification of the sensor than I actually spent bypassing it.’

He further expresses his disappointment, ‘I was very disappointed, as I hoped to hack on it for a week or two. There was no challenge at all; the attack was very straightforward and trivial. The Touch ID is nevertheless a very reliable fingerprint system. However, users should only consider it an increase in convenience and not security.’

Starbug has also posted a video of the entire process, which is provided above. As a result of his bypass procedure, he won the ‘Is Touch ID Hacked Yet’ contest, the funds from which he donated to Raumfahrtagentur.

Courtesy: iClarified

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Salman

Salman Latif is a software engineer with a specific interest in social media, big data and real-world solutions using the two.Other than that, he is a bit of a gypsy. He also writes in his own blog. You can find him on Google+ and Twitter .

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