Everything about Smudge attack
Discerning a password via screen smudges
A smudge attack is an information extraction attack that discerns the password input of a touchscreen device such as a smartphone or tablet computer from fingerprint smudges. A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania were the first to investigate this type of attack in 2010. An attack occurs when an unauthorized user is in possession or is nearby the device of interest. The attacker relies on detecting the oily smudges produced and left behind by the user's fingers to find the pattern or code needed to access the device and its contents. Simple cameras, lights, fingerprint powder, and image processing software can be used to capture the fingerprint deposits created when the user unlocks their device. Under proper lighting and camera settings, the finger smudges can be easily detected, and the heaviest smudges can be used to infer the most frequent input swipes or taps from the user. Wikipedia →
🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path
- Read the overview: Smudge attackA 5-minute orientation
- Pick up a classic book: Your Change is comingThe most-reprinted book on the subject
- Read the landmark paper: A new smart smudge attack using CNNCited 5 times
- Go sideways: Thermal attackA closely related topic
- Go sideways: Shoulder surfing (computer security)A closely related topic
📖 Definitions
Noun A method used to crack the password of a touchscreen device by analysing the oily smears left on the device's screen by the user's fingers.
🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)
A new smart smudge attack using CNN
Smudge Attack or: How to Secure Your Dirty Keypad
Password Authentication Scheme Resistant to Smudge andShoulder Surfing Attack in Mobile Environments
Attack Resistant Graphical Password Authentication Method Against Shoulder Surfing, Smudge and Brute Force Attacks
Design of a Secure Keypads to prevent Smudge Attack using Fingerprint Erasing in Mobile Devices
📚 Books worth reading
Your Change is comingAntony Douglas · 2014
Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.
🔗 Related topics
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