iPhone PIN Code Hack Using Thermal Imaging
- By Ginger Hill
- Sep 22, 2014
For every technology that is available to the public
to use for good, it seems that there are at least 50 bad guys out there who
determine a way to use it for malice. Such is the case with FLIR, a company that develops thermal imaging systems to “improve the way people interact with the world around them, enhance public safety and well-being, increase energy efficiency, and enable healthy and entertained communities.” (Remember,FLIR’s technology was used to find the Boston Marathon bomber hiding in aparked boat outside someone’s home.)
Since then, FLIR has developed a thermal camera for
the iPhone 5 and 5s; FLIR ONE fits directly onto the phone’s screen. Weighing
in at just 3.9 ounces, it is light and compact, but packs a powerful punch to
enhance the users’ perception of the world around him or her. With practical
uses such as finding electrical shorts at your home, checking around your car
that is parked in a dark parking lot to detecting intruders in your home or
back yard, the malice comes when it is used to capture PIN codes on keypads at
retail cash registers.
According to UC San Diego researchers’ data, they
were able to guess the correct PIN codes 80% of the time if the thermal image
was taken right after someone touched the keypad. Even if the image was taken 1
minute later, researchers still had a 50/50 chance of guessing the correct
code.
So, how do we protect our PIN codes from getting
stolen from thermal cameras? After you enter your PIN code, simply rest your
hand over the whole keypad, covering all the numbers for a couple of seconds. This
makes the thermal image read as just a blob of color, “erasing” the numbers you
just pushed.
Oh, and another precaution: Do you have one of those
fancy keypad locks on your home or office? Be sure to cover all the numbers
after entering your access code, just in case someone is following you and
wants to gain access behind you.
About the Author
Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.