We all know very well that recently, the tech giant Apple introduced its new devices, with some news revealed proving many rumors and throwing up so many others. As NSA (National Security Agency) Leaker Edward Snowden said that Apple’s iPhone X Face ID data will be ‘Abused’.
Edward Snowden: Apple’s iPhone X Face ID Data Will Be ‘Abused’
Recently, the tech giant Apple introduced its new devices, with some news revealed proving many rumors and throwing up so many others. The focus of the event was undoubtedly the iPhone X and its new unlock technology, Face ID.
Snowden wasted no time and already gave his opinion on this new technology.
How Face ID work?
Face ID takes advantage of an advanced facial recognition system implemented on the front of the device to capture the user’s facial structure and use it as a form of authentication on the new iPhone. The technology that could be a revolution in the security chapter draws on the TrueDepth camera that projects and analyzes more than 30,000 invisible dots to create a detailed depth map of your face.
This eliminates the need to use a code or fingerprint system present on other iPhones.
During the event, this technology was still marked by a flaw that many understood as a Face ID error, by Craig Federighi’s reaction, but that was no more than a common procedure on the vast majority of smartphones.
Craig Federighi took the stage to do a small demonstration of Face ID on the new iPhone, but apparently, the ID failed, leaving him a little cluttered. In fact, there was no failure. As with many ID systems, after the smartphone reboots, it is necessary to enter the lock code for another system to work. And that’s just what happened. Federighi’s disruption, according to some analysts, earned Apple a slight fall in share prices.
Snowden’s comments
This is not only a little misfortune in the presentation led to thousands of comments all over the Internet, but there were also a lot of people talking about Face ID technology in general. What no one expected was that Edward Snowden would pronounce himself, but he also let out his breath.
The famous American fugitive and denouncer of the world espionage system carried out by the NSA (National Security Agency) used Twitter to express his opinion about the Face ID present in the iPhone X.
#FaceID
Good: Design looks surprisingly robust, already has a panic disable.
Bad: Normalizes facial scanning, a tech certain to be abused.— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 12, 2017
Overall, Snowden’s view of the new apple brand authentication system is positive. The American was surprised and considered that it is a very robust system in terms of security.
In addition, the 34-year-old praised the fact that this system proves to be quite effective for solving common device security flaws.
We won't know how secure it is til #34C3, but looks like a clever design that avoids some common flaws. Needs a TouchID-style panic disable. https://t.co/JTVv7t11Wo
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 12, 2017
However, Edward Snowden warned that this technology is becoming banal and accessible to all. In the past, this technology was only used by governments as an extremely secure form of authentication and for access permission by an individual.
Online privacy advocates like Edward Snowden and certain organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), fear that governments and other institutions will take advantage of this technology to collect citizen data.
In fact, the system is already in place and this may be too tempting for world authorities to try to expand their power and start taking advantage of this type of new technology. Thus, facial recognition systems can be used for espionage purposes and simply it could become an invasion medium of privacy.
In the area of computer science there are no perfect systems and if there is one day the Face ID will certainly not be included in the list.
Without a doubt, the means we have at our disposal today make technology advance, reliable and faster. However, we need to be careful about the choices we make and wisely decide which path we should take. The warnings of people like Edward Snowden should serve as an alert to keep us informed and aware of what we can do with today’s technology.
So, what do you think about this? Simply share your views and thoughts in the comment system below.
