Communications of the ACM
Smudges on Touchscreen Phones Could Reveal User Passwords
University of Pennsylvania researchers have found that smartphone passwords can be deciphered by analyzing the smudges left on their touchscreens. The researchers found that by using a photograph of the screen and computer enhancements, it is possible to uncover the passwords on Android phones based on the smudge pattern. The researchers say the password structure used by Android phones results in distinctive patterns that enabled them to determine which buttons were pressed.
In one experiment, the smudge pattern was partially identifiable in 92 percent and fully identifiable in 68 percent of the tested lighting and camera set ups. The researchers believe smudge pattern identification is a legitimate threat because smudges are surprisingly persistent in time, it is difficult to incidentally obscure or delete smudges through wiping or pocketing the device, and collecting and analyzing oily residue smudges can be done with readily-available equipment.
From Cellular-News
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