IPHONE X - Face ID Feature Could Be Real Security Headache

 To get some answers, I hopped on the phone with Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi. We went through a bunch of the common concerns in rapid-fire fashion, and I’ve also been asking around and listening to Apple folks who have been using the feature over long periods. Hopefully we can clear up some of the FUD about it. Making Face ID “Phil mentioned that we’d gathered a billion images and that we’d done data gathering around the globe to make sure that we had broad geographic and ethnic data sets. Both for testing and validation for great recognition rates,” says Federighi. “That wasn’t just something you could go pull off the internet.” “We do retain a high-fidelity depth map of that [training] data that we protect,” says Federighi. “As we train these models and iterate on these algorithms you want raw sensor data to use and develop and optimize them.” Which is a good a time as any to talk about another big topic: security. The security and privacy of Face ID The simple answer, which is identical to the answer for Touch ID, by the way, is that Apple does not even have a way to give it to law enforcement. Apple never takes possession of the data, anonymized or otherwise. When you train the data it gets immediately stored in the Secure Enclave as a mathematical model that cannot be reverse-engineered back into a “model of a face.” Any re-training also happens there. It’s on your device, in your SE, period. I also asked Federighi whether Apple had considered allowing the very security-conscious to enable a mode that forced both Face ID and a passcode to be used to unlock a device. A sort of two-factor identification that combined both numeric and biometric factors into one system. He points out that there are scenarios you’d need to account for, like shaving your “mountain man” beard and needing access. “The thing we’d need to do is you’d need a backup super-long passcode… but it’s certainly something that gets discussed.” So, not for now, but the topic has come up. “On older phones the sequence was to click 5 times [on the power button], but on newer phones like iPhone 8 and iPhone X, if you grip the side buttons on either side and hold them a little while — we’ll take you to the power down [screen]. But that also has the effect of disabling Face ID,” says Federighi. “So, if you were in a case where the thief was asking to hand over your phone — you can just reach into your pocket, squeeze it, and it will disable Face ID. It will do the same thing on iPhone 8 to disable Touch ID.” That squeeze can be of either volume button plus the power button. This, in my opinion, is an even better solution than the “5 clicks” because it’s less obtrusive. When you do this, it defaults back to your passcode. This is a bit of an aside, but I’d also like to point out here that Face ID emits no visible light. I’ve seen some misconceptions on social media that it’s going to be shining a light at your face. Nope. It uses only infrared and existing light, which means it will work in darkness without any more light than is coming off of the phone’s screen. If you haven’t used Face ID in 48 hours, or if you’ve just rebooted, it will ask for a passcode. "iPhone X" "iPhone 8" "iPhone 8 Plus" Face "Face ID" camera tech technology phone "new phone" "phone contract" 2017 2018 cool photo photography FaceID unlock "unlock iphone" cloud smartphone samsung screen "new camera" secure security "iphone x case" "iphone 8 case" questions answers apple sale shopping people face faces "facial recognition" cctv If there are 5 failed attempts to Face ID, it will default back to passcode. (Federighi has confirmed that this is what happened in the demo onstage when he was asked for a passcode — it tried to read the people setting the phones up on the podium.) Developers do not have access to raw sensor data from the Face ID array. Instead, they’re given a depth map they can use for applications like the Snap face filters shown onstage. This can also be used in ARKit applications. Also be prepared for your phone to immediately lock every time your sleep/wake button is pressed or it goes to sleep on its own. This is just like Touch ID. Federighi also noted on our call that Apple would be releasing a security white paper on Face ID closer to the release of the iPhone X. So if you’re a researcher or security wonk looking for more, he says it will have “extreme levels of detail” about the security of the system. As Federighi says: “Most sunglasses let through enough IR light that Face ID can see your eyes even when the glasses appear to be opaque”. In fact it will work even when you vary glasses, scarves, beards, makeup, hats and beyond.












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