UM and UMass Lowell collaborative research shows Google Glass wearers can steal passwords

A recent study by the University of Macau (UM) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Lowell has found that smart devices such as iPhones and Google Glasses can be exploited by hackers to steal passwords entered on a smartphone or tablet, including bank account passwords.

The collaborative research was conducted by two teams, led by UM Rector Wei Zhao and UMass Lowell professor Fu Xinwen. The research teams have created software that maps the shadows from fingertips typing on a tablet or smartphone. The algorithm then coverts those touch points into the actual keys they were touching, allowing the researchers to crack the password.

Researchers tested the software with an iPhone 5, a high definition camera worth USD 72, and a Google Glass. They found that the accuracy reaches 83 per cent when a Google Glass is used and the target is placed three metres away, whereas the accuracy reaches 92 per cent when using an iPhone 5 or a Logitech camera. In both cases the hackers do not need to be able to read the screen. Therefore, if a person accesses his bank account on a smart device in this circumstance, his bank account password will very likely be cracked. Experts suggest that users should set up a long and more complex password for their smartphones or tablets against hackers. This study has been widely reported by the international media overseas, including CNN.

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