Latest Samsung Fingerprint Scanner for Phone Hacked, PayPal Users May be at Risk

The Samsung Galaxy S5 was just released, but a security flaw has already been discovered that makes the fingerprint scanner, featured in the handset, vulnerable to hacking, International Business Times is reporting.

SRLabs, a Germany-based security research firm, is claiming that anyone can gain access to a Galaxy S5 by using a wood glue mold from the fingerprint already set on a particular phone.

Since this is tied to the PayPal app, the new flaw can also be exploited to target mobile payments, in addition to compromising contacts, photos and other confidential data stored on the device.

“Despite being one of the premium phone’s flagship features, Samsung’s implementation of fingerprint authentication leaves much to be desired,” a SRLabs researcher said. “The finger scanner feature in Samsung’s Galaxy S5 raises additional security concerns to those already voiced about comparable implementations.”

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