Users have recently discovered that it’s possible to unlock Samsung S10’s using thumbprints not registered to the device.
Samsung has promised a software patch that would fix the problem. The issue was initially spotted by a woman whose husband was able to unlock her phone with his thumbprint just by adding a cheap screen protector.
When the S10 was launched in March, Samsung described the fingerprint system as “revolutionary”.
The scanner sends ultrasounds to detect 3D ridges of fingerprints in order to recognise users. Samsung said it was “aware of the case of S10’s malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch”.
Galaxy S10.
The British couple, who discovered the security issue, told the Sun newspaper it was a “real concern”.
After buying a £2.70 gel screen protector on eBay, Lisa Neilson found her left thumbprint, which was not registered, could unlock the phone.
She then asked her husband to try and both his thumbs also unlocked it, and when the screen protector was added to another relative’s phone the same thing happened.
