Blogger darkshark is the savvy tech villain who has managed to fool the new Samsung Galaxy S10 using a 3D print of his fingerprint. The hack was performed using very basic software and gadgets. It also didn’t take too long as per darkshark.
Darkshark explained in a post on Imgur about how he began the process with a photograph of his fingerprint on a wine glass. The photograph was taken using his smartphone. Once he had the picture, he used photoshop for increasing the contrast and adding an alpha layer. He then took this corrected image to the 3DS MAX and made a geometry displacement from the Photoshop image thus creating a raised 3D model that featured every last detail of the fingerprint.
He then used this model for 3D printing his fingerprint using AnyCubic Photon LCD resin printer. The model imparts an accuracy of 10 microns in Z height and 45 microns in x/y. This accuracy is more than enough for capturing all of the ridges that exist in a fingerprint.
The printing process took about 13 minutes following which darkshark was able to place the printed fingerprint – that looks like a microscope slide – onto the phone and voila. He was able to gain entry into the Samsung Galaxy S10. It isn’t a huge deal to unlock someone’s phone, but the fact that you can gain access to banking apps as well is something that is quite scary.
A stolen phone, as per darkshark, is covered in fingerprints that can be easily photographed and replicated using the same process that he used. He states that the process took a total of three prints to get right. However, once you have the correct method; you can replicate fingerprints in under a few minutes.
The latest Samsung smartphone makes use of an ultrasonic sensor that is supposed to be more difficult to spoof. Cybersecurity experts have stated multiple times that one should not solely rely on biometric security measures. It is important to incorporate more security layers to make sure that your phone remains safe. This unlocking of the phone via 3D printed fingerprint by darkshark reiterates the importance of more than one security layer!