Amazon Key Boosts Security With Fingerprint ID

In an effort to boost security, Amazon has added fingerprint ID to its new Key app for Android users, as reported by TechCruch.

Launched in November, Amazon Key is a service for Amazon Prime subscribers that facilitates unattended in-home deliveries.

“Amazon Key gives customers peace of mind knowing their orders have been safely delivered to their homes and are waiting for them when they walk through their doors,” said Peter Larsen, vice president of delivery technology for Amazon. “Now, Prime members can select in-home delivery and conveniently see their packages being delivered right from their mobile phones.”

The Amazon Key Home Kit, which includes the Amazon Cloud Cam and a compatible smart lock, allows users to monitor in-home deliveries through the Amazon Key app on their phones or other compatible devices.

But while the service is convenient, it has been found to not always be secure. Shortly after its launch, security researchers found that the Cloud Cam can be easily hacked by a simple program running from a computer that is within Wi-Fi range of the camera. The software can disable and freeze the camera, so a viewer would only see a closed door even if the door was open, at which point an unscrupulous delivery person could rob or violate the home.

And last month, another security researcher discovered a hack that hinders Amazon Key’s ability to lock, allowing anyone to get into a Key-enabled home.

So it makes sense that customers haven’t been jumping at the chance to use the service, with a recent survey finding that only about 31 percent are willing to use Amazon Key.

In an effort to make the app more secure, Amazon has added an additional layer of security –via fingerprint authentication – to the Android version of the app. An Amazon spokesperson also told TechCrunch that fingerprint ID is coming soon to iOS.