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Cyber Security Expert: iPhone X facial recognition is vulnerable

"Is it 100 percent safe? It never is."
Posted at 11:37 AM, Nov 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-20 18:06:17-05

This Black Friday the new iPhone X will be one of the hottest items for the holiday shopping season. While the new technology is features is impressive, cyber security experts are concerned for your safety.

Maybe you’ve seen the video of a 10-year-old boy unlocking his mom’s new iPhone X with his face instead of hers.

RELATED | Apple's iPhone X is all glass and has facial recognition

It seems innocent enough, but another video isn't so adorable.

This one shows a Vietnamese Security expert using a 3-D printed mask, and a printout of his face to unlock his phone. Even though Apple has said this was not possible.

One cyber security expert says it shows the phone’s new facial recognition feature has some vulnerabilities.

"Technologies slowly over time learn how to be secure so at the moment there are still things that could go badly wrong with facial recognition," Stu Sjouwerman with Clearwater based KnowBe4 said.

And as more devices use this technology if your facial scan gets stolen and used for other identification purposes the impact could be even more devastating.

"A pin code or a credit card number is something that can be deleted. Your face or your fingerprint stays with you forever."

But you spent 1,000 dollars on this thing, you want to use your face to unlock your phone right? Are there any steps you could take to lessen your risk?

"Essentially you should ask yourself what is the level of risk you are ok with."

It’s always a choice between security and convenience, if it’s something that concerns you just use the 6 digit keypad code even if that seems to be a little outdated.