Could touch-screen smudges reveal passwords?
University of Pennsylvania researchers testing Android phones believe fingerprints on the touch screens could actually be a security risk.
(Credit:
Google)
We all know how annoying fingerprints on touch screens can be, but now researchers believe they can actually leave your mobile phone susceptible to hacking.
University of Pennsylvania researchers tested the Google Nexus One and HTC G1, both of which use a graphical password system to unlock the phone that works by swiping a set pattern on the touch screen.
Unlocking your phone in this way leaves oily residues on the screen that can remain even if you wipe it. "Latent smudges may be usable to infer recently and frequently touched areas of the screen--a form of information leakage," warns the article (PDF).
Read more of "Smudges on your Android touch screen could give away your password" at Crave UK.
