Prior to the launch of iPhone X in November, Apple gave out a detailed, six-page white paper, entitled ‘Face ID Security’. The paper reveals more information about its new facial recognition technology, how the Face ID would work on the iOS and the way biometric system works, also pointing out how safe it is for the users.
Although it does not declare the complete information behind the technology- much of it is a secret, but explains how the information gathered is kept secure and how the phone remains safe.
The Face ID and couple of other features have been a cause of concern for many since they were announcedearlier this month. The security concerns, primarily revolved around the fact that what if the Face ID was used by the wrong person at the wrong time, for example a mugger might force one to unlock the phone before stealing it!
Apple responded that with the Face ID, your passcode is still used; when the device is turned on or restarted, not being unlocked for 48 hours, the pass code hasn’t been used to unlock the phone for the last 156 hours, if the device received a remote lock command, after five unsuccessful attempts at Face match and finally after initiating power off.
For the users to find Face ID useful, the system will simply need to avoid false positives from people other than the phone’s owner, and be smart enough to not be fooled by flat, printed photos. The idea is that the iPhone X user will still have a password; they just won’t need to type it in every time they access their phone.
Scanning Eyes Movement:
The security overview explicitly implied that the Face ID would require eye scanning, keeping the eye directed towards the camera, in order to work properly. Furthermore, the mapping system in the phone and the neural system designed to recognize the map are made in order to counter digital and physical burlesques. Added to that, the facial pattern is not stored as claimed by Apple.
However, among all this there is a loophole, for the Face ID might not be the best option for twins and the siblings having quite similar facial features. Similar thing goes for the kids aged below 13 as their facial features have not yet fully developed.
Therefore Apple recommended not using Face ID in such case and recommends relying on the good old Passcode.
Another interesting fact is that the Face ID data can never leave your phone neither is it backed up in the iCloud. If you wish for it to be stored by AppleCare, only then would it be able to leave your device.
As the tech Giant stated in its paper; “As part of setting up Face ID Diagnostics, your existing Face ID enrollment will be deleted and you’ll be asked to re-enroll in Face ID. Your iPhone X will begin recording Face ID images captured during authentication attempts for the next 7 days; iPhone X will automatically stop saving images thereafter. Face ID Diagnostics doesn’t automatically send data to Apple.”
Following this, the privacy website for customers has been updated with a new look having updated information. “You may not attempt, facilitate, or encourage others to identify anonymous users or reconstruct user profiles based on data collected from depth and/or facial mapping tools,” this is what you are likely to find in the company’s developer guidelines.
With that enjoy waiting for the new X, which would be available for pre- order on October 27 and ships for $999 from November 3rd!