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US law enforcement asked Professor Anmil Jain of Michigan State University to print copies of the murder victim's fingers. Police are hoping to find new evidence by hacking the victim's smartphone using 3D-printed replicas.
Professor Jain is engaged in the development of facial recognition algorithms and the improvement of biometric systems, including fingerprinting. The police were led to the scientist by Apple's refusal to cooperate with the FBI in the case of the San Bernardino shooter, when the company strongly opposed the authorities' demand to unlock the smartphone, citing the constitutional right to privacy of correspondence. This time, the law enforcement officers decided not to contact the stubborn manufacturer and turned to an independent specialist for help.
There were no problems with the samples: they did not even have to take fingerprints, since the victim himself had been arrested earlier, and his "fingers" were found in the police database. In this regard, the investigators were especially lucky, since no one knows which fingerprint opens the cherished chest. However, from a technical point of view, the problem looks a little more complex than just high-precision reproduction of prints.
The Touch ID system used by IPhone smartphones not only reads fingerprints, but also reacts to the electrical conductivity of the skin. A simple 3D printed polymer replica isn't enough to crack, but Jain hopes to solve the problem by covering the artificial prints with conductive ink.
While the idea is entertaining, such a hack can and is likely to be pointless, since fingerprint protection is usually duplicated with a password. While local court records do not prohibit hacking of fingerprints by treating fingerprints as physical evidence and not legally protected personal information, cracking a password will no longer allow evidence to be considered in court. Moreover, it is not a fact that the password can be cracked, and Apple's position on this matter is extremely clear. When it comes to media pressures over the potential cybersecurity threat posed by additive technologies, sensationalists will be disappointed. Touch ID security has already been successfully cracked at least three years ago using silicone and conventional laser printers without 3D printing.
