South Korean Tech Giant – Samsung – is currently facing both a controversial and embarrassing issue with one of their latest flagship mobile device, the Samsung S10. They are now scrambling to release the latest software update in order to fix this problem with the S10’s in-display fingerprint sensor technology.
Currently, just about anyone can unlock a Samsung Galaxy S10 mobile device using their own thumbprint, or any of their fingerprints for that matter, even if it’s not registered with the security software. This device flaw was exposed when a random couple tried to use a screen protector for their Samsung S10 and noticed immediately that the in-display fingerprint sensor has just stopped working as it supposed to.
The couple acquired the $3 screen protector from eBay and after installing the screen protector, not only was she able to unlock the device using all her other fingers, her partner could as well even though his fingerprints weren’t registered to the said Samsung mobile device. And as it turns out, they weren’t the only ones who discovered and experienced this flaw.
Also from South Korea, Kakao Bank already advised all of their customers to stop using the in-display fingerprint sensor of the S10 to log on to any of its services and online mobile applications. Similar to many other online banking apps that use the in-phone fingerprint sensor to allow access to sensitive data.
Samsung, in a statement released just a few days ago after getting the report, acknowledged that they have been made aware of the flaw of their S10’s in-display fingerprint sensor. They advised users last Friday that they have been working on issuing a patch to come out this week.
Further reports and investigation on the matter indicates that the in-display fingerprint issue relates to several screen protecting cases that were made out of silicone. The material somehow affects not only the S10 mobile device, but also the S10 Plus, S10 5G, as well as the newly-launched Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus. The silicone material on the screen protectors acts as blockage to the ultrasonic sensor and wrongly reads three-dimensional patterns as fingerprints. This, according to Samsung causes any individual to use any of their fingerprints to unlock the devices.
As such, Samsung has also warned their users against using such materials or covers. In order to continue using the phone while waiting for the software update, users can opt for other ways to unlock their phones (PIN code, patterns). Once the patch has been applied, users must then delete all of their registered fingerprints and do it all over again.
