• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

AppleToolBox

Tools and Fixes for Mac, iPad, iPhone & iPod

Search posts

  • About
  • Contact

CONNECT WITH US

CATEGORIES

';
  • All
  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Mac/MacBook
  • Apple Watch
  • How-To’s
  • Reviews

SITE

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Advertise

Search posts

You are here: Home / News / Future iPhones Could Capture and Store Unauthorized FaceIDs
Storing Unauthorized FaceID and Biometric data

Future iPhones Could Capture and Store Unauthorized FaceIDs

By SK 0 comments Last updated November 15, 2017

Storing Unauthorized FaceID and Biometric dataThe age of digital security is rapidly changing. The days of periodically refreshing one’s password are coming to an end.


Contents

  • 1 In the new world, “YOU” are the password
    • 1.1 Unauthorized Access? How iPhones Could Store Unauthorized FaceIDs
    • 1.2 Patent 9819676 Details
    • 1.3 What Happens to that collected information?
    • 1.4 Related Posts:

In the new world, “YOU” are the password

Biometrics-based authentication has seen a revolution starting with TouchID. With iPhone X, Apple has essentially killed the TouchID and has replaced it with FaceID.

Apple claims that 1 in 50,000 people can unlock an iPhone by having a similar fingerprint, but only 1 in 1,000,000 would have a face similar enough to trick the new system.

Unauthorized Access? How iPhones Could Store Unauthorized FaceIDs

What if you wanted to know the “whodunit” details when there is an unauthorized access to your iPhone or other Apple device that is using Biometrics to authenticate?

Apple’s newly approved patent, 9819676, provides some clues around how the company could implement this functionality in the future to discover the “whodunits.”Storing FaceId and Biometric Data on iPhone



The case of an unauthorized unlocking attempt not only applies to situations when someone steals your iPhone, but it could be as simple as one of your family members or your teenager trying to use your iPhone without your permission.

Users of computing devices may desire to be able to identify one or more unauthorized users who have attempted to utilize the user’s computing device.

Patent 9819676 Details

According to this patent, your iPhone may determine to capture biometric information in response to the occurrence of one or more trigger conditions.

The trigger condition may be receipt of one or more instructions from one or more other computing devices, detection of potential unauthorized use by the computing device, normal operation of the computing device, and so on.

Once an event has triggered, your iPhone may obtain biometric information and store such biometric data. Such biometric information may be one or more fingerprints, one or more images of a current user of the computing device, video of the current user, audio of the environment of the computing device, forensic interface use information, and so on.

Unauthorized Triggers

The trigger could happen based on the number of unlocking attempts. For example, if the iPhone receives more than a threshold number of failed authentication attempts (such as five), the iDevice may begin capturing biometric information as it gets such from one or more biometric sensors.

It is also possible that the trigger initializes as soon as your device receives a failed authentication. Your iPhone may immediately capture a fingerprint of the current user of the iPhone (i.e., the user that provided the failed authentication) and takes a picture or video of the current user.

That stored biometric information, collected during the unauthorized access event, can subsequently identify the unauthorized users.FaceID Capture Camera iPhone X

What Happens to that collected information?

Your device then shares that collected information via an email to the email address associated with your Apple ID. Think of it as an Alert notification, triggered when your device discovers unauthorized access.

The collected biometric information can also include other particulars such as the location of the device and the timestamp of the unauthorized attempt.

Users could also establish rule-based mechanisms where the device purges that stored biometric information on a regular basis.

The objective of this patent is straightforward in that it is a mechanism to discourage unauthorized access to your iPhone.

As long as the biometric information is stored locally on the device, it may not be a problem. There could be security and privacy concerns if the biometric info were shared to a server that performed other actions including matching.

As with any patent, it may or may not make it to an actual iPhone in the future. It is however interesting to see how Apple’s engineers are thinking through various use cases related to FaceID and other biometric information.

Apple filed this patent in April 2016 and received approval on Nov 14, 2017. The primary inventors of the patent were Byron Han, Craig Marciniak, and John Wright. All the three inventors worked at the Apple Special Projects group (SPG) at one time or the other.

sudz - apple
SK( Managing Editor )

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.

Related Posts:

  • Gmail login and authentication problems with Apple Mail? Try these tips!Gmail login and authentication problems with Apple…
  • iOS 13 or iPadOS problems and how to fix them - Troubleshooting GuideiOS 13 or iPadOS problems and how to fix them -…
  • How to use a security key on your iPhone (and why you should)How to use a security key on your iPhone (and why…
  • Apple AirPods Could Feature Biometric Sensing in the FutureApple AirPods Could Feature Biometric Sensing in the Future
  • Can't Unlock Apps on Mac With Your Apple Watch? How-To FixCan't Unlock Apps on Mac With Your Apple Watch? How-To Fix
  • How To Reset the Screen Time Passcode on iOS, iPadOS, or macOSHow To Reset the Screen Time Passcode on iOS,…
  • AirPods Pro---The Complete GuideAirPods Pro---The Complete Guide
  • Face ID Not Working on iPhone? How-To Fix TodayFace ID Not Working on iPhone? How-To Fix Today
  • Why Is My iPhone Choosing Passwords For Me In iOS 12?Why Is My iPhone Choosing Passwords For Me In iOS 12?

Reader Interactions

Write a Comment Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Popular Posts

  • How to export Messages from the Mac and save them into a readable format Hero How to Export Messages From the Mac and Save Them Into a Readable Format
  • Apple Watch Exercise, Move, and Stand rings How Does the Apple Watch Count Exercise Minutes?
  • How To Calibrate Your Apple Watch
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Hero iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: The Best of 2020
  • iPhone camera taking photo in scenic location A Complete Guide to Editing Photos on Your iPhone

Connect with us

Recent Comments

  • Randy Veroline on iPad – Facetime Problems, No Sound, Connection Problems, Fix: “I can hear the other person but they cannot hear me. I am unable to find a setting for unmuting…”
  • Mike on 5 Ways to Reduce File Sizes on iPhone: “So, in other words, the simple expedient of being able to change the resolution for taking photos in the first…”
  • mike on How to Use iMessage Group Chat on iPhone or iPad: “i am using a MacBook for iMessages to many contacts, but i by group messages every one else can see…”
  • Bob on Apple Mail shows ‘sender address is invalid’. How to fix: “Filling in the “optional” fields worked for me, too!!!”

Footer

ABOUT

  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

DEVICES

  • iPhone
  • Mac & MacBook
  • Apple Watch
  • iPad
  • AirPods
  • Apple TV
  • iPod Touch

GUIDES

  • iOS 13 & iPadOS
  • Apple ID
  • iCloud
  • App Store
  • iTunes
  • FaceTime
  • iMessage
  • Siri
  • Books and iBooks
  • Game Center
  • AirPlay

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • FeedBurner
  • YouTube

© Copyright 2010-2021 AppleToolBox · All Rights Reserved

This site and its content are in no way affiliated or endorsed by Apple, Inc. · Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited