Apple Watch has a flaw that could leave some consumer information exposed
A security flaw has been discovered on the Apple Watch concerning Apple’s mobile payments service. Apple Pay has become quite popular among iOS users, receiving praise for being secure and convenient. On the new iPhone, consumer financial information is kept secure thanks to biometric technology. Those wishing to make a mobile transaction through Apple Pay on an iPhone must scan their fingerprint before they can do so. This feature is absent from Apple Watch, however.
Watch uses skin contact as a protection method
Apple Watch is not equipped with a fingerprint scanner, so must rely on other security solutions in order to keep consumer information safe. GadgetHacks recently posted a video to YouTube that highlights a security flaw. Though Apple Watch does not use a fingerprint, it must maintain contact with a user’s skin, otherwise the device will be locked until they input their password. This is meant to protect the device, but the security flaw has to do with the amount of time it takes for the device to register that it is no longer in contact with human skin.
Simple flaw in sensors could give thieves access to someone’s mobile payments accounts
According to GadgetHacks, it takes about a second before the device detects that it has no contact with human skin. This means that someone could steal Watch and simply place their finger on the sensor in order to avoid it being locked. The sensor cannot tell the difference between the skin on the wrist and the skin on the finger. While this may not seem like a major problem, those that manage to steal the device and exploit this flaw could have access to consumer information, including their mobile payments accounts.
Apple may not feel the need to address security flaw
Apple has been careful to ensure that its mobile payments service is as secure as possible. The company has managed to succeed in this endeavor quite well, but absolute security can be an impossible task to accomplish. Whether or not Apple will address the security flaw with the Watch device is unknown. The flaw may be considered so minor that it does not require any significant attention from the company.
This is because attacks through a “man in the middle” vulnerability opens the device up to a fake WiFi hotspot in order to be able to intercept data contained in devices that have connected to it. Typically, this sort of attack, which are also frequently called “coffee shop hacks”, isn’t possible because those artificial hotspots don’t have adequate security certificates. However, the bug that has been found in the iOS apps has stopped those applications for properly checking for those certificates.