AI could steal fingerprints from high-resolution selfies, experts warn
Security experts are warning that high-resolution selfies can be used to steal fingerprints, potentially allowing hackers to spoof biometric scanners. This is possible because modern smartphone cameras can capture detailed images of fingerprints from within five feet. The use of photo editing software and AI tools can further sharpen fingerprint ridges hidden in everyday selfies, making it easier to extract usable fingerprint data.
- ▪Hackers can potentially steal fingerprints from high-resolution selfies taken from within five feet.
- ▪Photo editing software and AI tools can sharpen fingerprint ridges hidden in everyday selfies.
- ▪Fingerprint authentication remains widely used despite security concerns due to its convenience and ease of use.
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| Original publisher | TechSpot |
| Canonical URL | https://www.techspot.com/news/112427-ai-could-steal-fingerprints-high-resolution-selfies-experts.html |
| Publication time | Sat, 16 May 2026 09:19 -0500 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-16T14:20:18.699Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-16T14:20:19.381Z |
| Headline source | Publisher (no WeSearch rewrite) |
| Excerpt source | publisher body |
| Excerpt method | First ~120 words (~800 chars) of extracted publisher body, fair-use limited. |
| Summary | WeSearch · cerebras-chat (WeSearch summarizer) |
| Summary source text | contentText |
| Citation coverage | Summary is a WeSearch-generated derivative; primary citation is the original publisher URL. |
| Cluster | F2fZm0gKhR21 |
| Cluster logic | Grouped by semantic title/content similarity across sources within a rolling window. Same-publisher template collisions are excluded from coverage comparison. |
| Ranking reason | Story pages are not engagement-ranked. Hub feeds use recency, with optional source-diversified chronological ordering (cap consecutive stories per source). No personalized ranking. |
| Publisher visit | Yes — open original |
| Substitutes article? | No — link-out required for full text |
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| Snippet | May a short excerpt of the publisher's text be shown? | Allowed |
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| Retrieval / RAG | May the content be exposed for third-party retrieval-augmented generation? | Not asserted |
| Model training | May the content be used to train AI models? | Not asserted |
| Commercial reuse | May the content be reused commercially? | Not permitted |
Basis: Derived from the published RSS/Atom feed. Contact: [email protected]. Reviewed: 2026-07-24.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Security The Web biometrics fingerprint AI could steal fingerprints from high-resolution selfies, experts warn Hackers only need photos from within 5 feet By Daniel Sims May 16, 2026, 9:19 42 comments Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. The takeaway: Although fingerprint authentication has known security limitations, modern laptops, tablets, and smartphones continue to rely on it for device unlocking and passkey authentication. As phone cameras become increasingly powerful, security experts are warning that lifting fingerprints from ordinary photos is becoming more feasible.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at TechSpot.
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