Artificial fingerprints can hack into one third of smartphones

山東新泰新汶一中 孫啟祿

美國紐約大學(xué)和密歇根州立大學(xué)的研究人員在2018年早些時候成功研發(fā)了被他們稱作“深度萬能指紋”的人工指紋。研究人員稱它們可以解鎖大約1/3的采用指紋解鎖的智能手機(jī)。

主題意義 培養(yǎng)學(xué)生愛科學(xué)、學(xué)科學(xué)的意識 體裁 說明文文章詞數(shù)305 新穎度 ★★★★★ 建議用時7′

Artificial fingerprints have been developed by researchers who said they could one day be used to hack into（侵入）everyday devices.Researchers from New York University and Michigan State University successfully generated what they called “Deep Master Prints”earlier this year.These are machine-learning methods that act as a kind of “master key”which have the potential to unlock around one in three fingerprint-protected smartphones．

In the paper released in October，the authors said artificial fingerprints could be “used by an adversary （對手）to launch an attack...that can compromise the security of a fingerprint-based recognition system”.

“Phones and many more devices don't capture your entire fingerprint，”the researchers said.“There's not enough space on the device，so they capture a partial fingerprint—which is not as secure as the full image. People assume the device stitches（縫補(bǔ)）images of their fingerprint together，but that's not really what happens—it keeps sets of partial fingerprints.”

For each finger stored in place of a password，the device keeps multiple images.If someone then uses their finger to unlock that device， they only need to match one of the partial fingerprint images on its security system．

Many developers were already making fingerprint scanners more secure by moving sensors from devices' buttons to screens，allowing them to pick up higher resolution images．

“Some smartphones have the sensors on the side buttons， which are very thin—they're convenient but less secure，” the researchers said.“Their sensors only register a quarter or so of the fingerprint's features.”

Most smartphones give users the option to set up fingerprint recognition as a way to access their device，as well as a way to verify payments and unlock bank accounts.Amazon's UK site offers more than 2，000 products relating to fingerprint security， including padlocks and safes．

Reading Check

1.Why do many devices fail to capture the user's entire fingerprint？

A.The device can stitch images of the user's fingerprint together．

B.The device doesn't have enough space for the fingerprint．

C.The device can record only parts of the user's fingerprint.

D.The device can compromise the security of a recognition system．

2.What does the underlined word“verify”in the last paragraph most probably mean？

A.Confirm. B.Produce.

C.Exchange. D.Copy.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Important vocabulary in the text

1.develop v.發(fā)展；開發(fā)

2.generate v.產(chǎn)生

3.compromise v.使陷入危險

4.security n.安全

5.capture v.捕捉

6.partial adj.部分的

7.multiple adj.多種多樣的

Ⅱ.Difficult sentence

These are machine-learning methods that act as a kind of“master key”which have the potential to unlock around one in three fingerprintprotected smartphones.這些機(jī)器學(xué)習(xí)方法作為一種“萬能鑰匙”，有可能解鎖三分之一的受指紋保護(hù)的智能手機(jī)。

【點(diǎn)石成金】本句是一個復(fù)合句。These are machine-learning methods是主句，that act as a kind of“master key”是定語從句修飾methods，which have the potential to...也是定語從句修飾“master key”，to unlock...是動詞不定式短語作定語。