Giving Forensics the Finger(Prints), Scientist Gets Biometric Data From Photo

Whether it's logging into your smartphone, tablet, laptop or opening a door, fingerprint recognition technology is everywhere – but its proliferation could be problematic if caught by a camera.

Photographs can be uploaded from a smart device to a social media account in seconds and with it, you're personal information and even biometric details, raising the risk of your identity being hacked, a researcher in Japan claims. 

"Just by casually making a peace sign in front of a camera, fingerprints can become widely available," Isao Echizen, professor at Japan's National Institute of Informatics (NII) told the Sankei Shimbun newspaper.

© Photo : Pixabay

​"Fingerprint data can be recreated if fingerprints are in focus with strong lighting in a picture," he added. 

And the warning that fingerprint data can be captured from digital images comes from Isao Echizen, after he did exactly that. Echizen told reporters that he captured fingerprints on a camera from a person standing nine feet away giving the peace sign.

Everybody shows a peace sign with their hands exept V. His hand is on jimin 😂

(@vmindaiIy @vmination) pic.twitter.com/Z0fKNxioW0

— DeilaeraVmin❤ (@ChimChimTae1806) January 2, 2017​

And while it's possible to get catch those fingerprints on camera, Japan's National Institute of Informatics is also working on a transparent film containing titanium oxide that can also obscure fingerprints to potentially stop identity theft.

However the protective film could also prevent identity verification, making it easier for criminals to swap and alter their biometric details and slip beneath authorities' radar.