Google Looking to Get Rid of Passwords for Mobile Users

[Ryuzaki]

Sources:
- http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...ject-abacus-trust-api-passwords-a7047651.html
- http://techcrunch.com/2016/05/23/go...word-free-logins-to-android-apps-by-year-end/
- http://www.cnet.com/news/google-project-abacus-2016-atap-password/
- http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/15/googles-creepy-plan-to-kill-the-password/

We recently talked about Google's patent concerning biometric indicators, and we already know companies like Facebook are engaging your mobile microphone and listening to what you have to say to further target ads. Apple is constantly tracking your latitude, longitude, and altitude and time of day to determine where your home is, your work is, etc. Of course there's much more that's being tracked, but lets get to today's news.

Google unveiled Project Abacus at their I/O Developer Conference. Part of Project Abacus is the Trust API.

Instead of asking you to simply enter your unique and confidential password, they will use all of this meta-data they've been collecting on your behavior and appearance to build a Trust metric for you by analyzing:

• your facial features
• your voice
• how you type
• how you swipe
• how you move
• where you move to
• your current location compared to previous locations

All of this just to make sure it's really you holding your phone... right. Don't forget Apple has already gotten most people's fingerprints. I'd bet 100% of everything that this information is already being supplied to the NSA as well.

Banks are going to begin testing this new feature next month and it will be available to all Android dev's by the end of the year.

Continuing to give up our privacy for convenience. Pretty incredible situation.

 

[CCarter]

your facial features

Wasn't there someone arguing this was not going to happen...

I'd bet 100% of everything that this information is already being supplied to the NSA as well.

No, that's not how it works. In fact the data is stored in an algo and at a level of the device that's rather difficult to get to even with the phone in hand.

Secure Enclave

Touch ID doesn't store any images of your fingerprint. It stores only a mathematical representation of your fingerprint. It isn't possible for someone to reverse engineer your actual fingerprint image from this mathematical representation. The chip in your device also includes an advanced security architecture called the Secure Enclave which was developed to protect passcode and fingerprint data. Fingerprint data is encrypted and protected with a key available only to the Secure Enclave. Fingerprint data is used only by the Secure Enclave to verify that your fingerprint matches the enrolled fingerprint data. The Secure Enclave is walled off from the rest of the chip and the rest of iOS. Therefore, iOS and other apps never access your fingerprint data, it's never stored on Apple servers, and it's never backed up to iCloud or anywhere else. Only Touch ID uses it, and it can't be used to match against other fingerprint databases.

Sauce: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204587
​

And more importantly WHY would the NSA of all agencies need your fingerprint? What would they gain out of it? I can see the FBI or another agency, but the NSA has all your phone conversations and a majority of your online activities already. Your fingerprint doesn't do anything for them.

 

[lion1978]

Your fingerprint doesn't do anything for them

Actually the former head of NSA has publicly said that the goal of NSA is to collect ALL infomation about EVERYBODY in the world, ironicly he also agreed that when you are already trying to find a needle in a haystack it doesnt make any sense to add more hay. Now ofcourse one can argue against him on that note, but then we'll be dicussing at a very theoretical level, still I would find it odd if an agency such as the NSA doesn't work with extreeme "worst case scenarios"

 

[CCarter]

Actually the former head of NSA has publicly said that the goal of NSA is to collect ALL infomation about EVERYBODY in the world

Well good luck with that mission of theirs. My fingerprints are pretty much useless at this time since they cannot unlock any biometrics sensors since I never imprinted with anything. They are on file with various government agencies around the world due to my past work. The NSA needing fingerprints just seems "un-neccessary" cause they've got everything else. I mean when you can listen in to people's private conversations from a device they carry around without them knowing or control their automobile they are in or watch them on their laptop's camera... you know them intimately, fingerprints get you nowhere NEW. You might as well take a footprint while you are at it - what are you going to do with that information?

If you've been arrested before your prints are on file. If you do sensitive things for the government your prints are on file. I also believe at some point I had my handprint painted in kindergarten and that's hanging somewhere at my parent's house next to some dried macaroni artwork.

 

[Ryuzaki]

he NSA needing fingerprints just seems "un-neccessary"

It's definitely unnecessary for them but they are sharing the information with all of the other 3-Letter Agencies. Part of their job is to collect info, not just sort through it. Identifying knowledge is power, especially when they can use these unique identifiers to frame their opposition and create any narrative they want to swerve public opinion.

 

[CCarter]

Identifying knowledge is power, especially when they can use these unique identifiers to frame their opposition and create any narrative they want to swerve public opinion.

Some of yall are doing some hardcore SEO for them to want to target you like that.

 

[contract]

They are on file with various government agencies

I was against the fingerprint thing at first...

Then I got my concealed handgun license which requires full hand scans. Millions of others who aren't criminals have gone through the process. Kind of have no choice when you want to be able to protect/defend yourself.

The rest of the population, aka the bulk majority of the criminals have been in the jail system and fingerprinted. Then there's the banks who were fingerprinting every single person for opening a new account. (Not quite sure if they still do this). Of course, birth records with the footprint and fingerprint.. (Can't remember which paper that is specifically)

Really no way around it.

 

[Phenom]

When working in Oil & Gas I had to get my prints done. The chemicals fluids engineers use can make some pretty gnarly shit and we were getting it by the truckload on pallets.