Sen. Franken Raises Questions About Security of Galaxy S5

U.S. Sen. Al Franken is raising questions about the security of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 smartphone in the wake of reports that its fingerprint scanner has been hacked.

In a letter to the South Korean electronics giant, the Minnesota Democrat expressed concern about the apparent security vulnerability and Samsung’s use of fingerprint technology beyond granting access to the device — such as sending money through PayPal.

“I am concerned by reports that Samsung’s fingerprint scanner may not be as secure as it may seem — and those security gaps might create broader security problems on the S5 smartphone,” Franken wrote. “I am writing to request information on how Samsung is addressing these and other privacy questions.”

Researchers in Germany demonstrated how to hack the Galaxy S5 using a rubber mold made from latent fingerprints lifted off the phone’s screen. They posted a YouTube video demonstrating the security flaw.

Apple’s Touch ID technology was similarly hacked, Franken noted in his letter. But unlike the competitor’s product, Samsung allows for unlimited attempts to access the device without requiring a password and permits the broad use of the fingerprint scanner to access apps. This, he notes, invites abuse by “bad actors.”

Franken posed more than a dozen questions to Samsung, inquiring how it secured the fingerprints, whether such data could be accessed remotely and how third-party applications interact with this biometric information. He also asked whether Samsung could assure its users that it would never share their fingerprints with any government, absent the proper legal authority and process, such as a warrant.

“I’m not trying to discourage adoption of fingerprint technology for consumer mobile devices,” Franken wrote. “Rather, my goal is to urge companies to deploy this technology in the most secure manner reasonable — and create a public record around how companies are treating sensitive biometric information.”

Samsung declined a request for comment.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

Contributions are a key part of the future of Vox

Readers rely on Vox for clear, nuanced coverage that not only illuminates the issues, but poses solutions, too. And we rely on help from our readers: Advertising and grants cover the majority of our costs, but we count on contributions to help us close the gaps in our budget. In fact, we’re looking to reach 95,000 individual contributions before the end of the year. Will you make the next contribution right now? Our average gift is just $20 — and it goes a long way in helping us keep our work free. Vox is here to help everyone understand what’s shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. Join that mission by making a contribution today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via