Artificial fingerprints can hack into one third of smartphones

山东新泰新汶一中 孙启禄

美国纽约大学和密歇根州立大学的研究人员在2018年早些时候成功研发了被他们称作“深度万能指纹”的人工指纹。研究人员称它们可以解锁大约1/3的采用指纹解锁的智能手机。

主题意义 培养学生爱科学、学科学的意识 体裁 说明文文章词数305 新颖度 ★★★★★ 建议用时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 （对手）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（缝补）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.发展；开发

2.generate v.产生

3.compromise v.使陷入危险

4.security n.安全

5.capture v.捕捉

6.partial adj.部分的

7.multiple adj.多种多样的

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.这些机器学习方法作为一种“万能钥匙”，有可能解锁三分之一的受指纹保护的智能手机。

【点石成金】本句是一个复合句。These are machine-learning methods是主句，that act as a kind of“master key”是定语从句修饰methods，which have the potential to...也是定语从句修饰“master key”，to unlock...是动词不定式短语作定语。