As biometric logins become more common, hackers will take advantage of their use as a single-factor method of authentication to pull off a major attack in 2019.
Biometric login methods such as face and fingerprint readers on consumer devices like smartphones and gaming consoles present a tempting target for hackers. While biometrics are more convenient than remembering many complex passwords, and they are more secure than poor passwords, they are still just a single method of authentication. If people don’t add a second form of authentication, cyber criminals that successfully hack biometrics can easily gain access to their personal and financial data.
But aren’t biometrics much harder to crack? Well, a researcher fooled a fingerprint scanner with gummy bears in 2002, and a hobbyist hacking group defeated the iPhone’s TouchID in 2013. In 2017, a Vietnamese security group claims to have created a mask that can fool Apple’s FaceID. It’s only a matter of time before hackers perfect these methods and exploit the growing trend of biometrics as the sole form of authentication.
We believe that enough of the public will continue using single-factor biometric authentication in 2019 that hackers will take advantage of their naivete and pull off a major biometric hack. Of course, organizations can prevent these hacks affecting their employees by using advanced multifactor authentication like WatchGuard’s new AuthPoint solution, which leverages push-based notification and advanced mobile device verification techniques.
Can’t wait to see what other emerging threats and security trends might surface next year? Watch a special video edition of The 433 – Security Simplified podcast or read the full list of WatchGuard’s 2019 Security Predictions.
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