Be careful if you have the Samsung Galaxy S10: a bug allows anyone to unlock it

Computer security is one of the most important pillars in modern mobile telephony. Most manufacturers have incorporated biometric systems to protect user data. But sometimes they have weaknesses. There are facial recognition systems that can be easily skipped, as in the new Google Pixel 4, whose screen can be unlocked even while sleeping. Six months after it goes on sale, Samsung has acknowledged that its Galaxy S10 has a flaw in the fingerprint system that can cause anyone to access the mobile by impersonating the user's identity.



The South Korean giant has advanced on Thursday that prepares an emergency update to solve the problem, although deadlines are still unknown. The ruling was discovered after a user in the United Kingdom, owner of this model, denounced the situation in the British media "The Sun", where he said he had verified that another person can unlock their mobile simply using a screen protector few euros to "cheat" the security system. "It means that anyone who puts their hands on my phone can access it and use banking applications in a few seconds to transfer money," he criticized.

Samsung, currently the leader in mobile sales worldwide, said in statements to AFP that "very soon" will launch a software update available to all users to correct the problem, although he did not want to clarify whether or not it affects many terminals of the market. "We are investigating this problem and will release a software update very soon," company sources told AFP.

The Galaxy S10, introduced in March of this year, incorporated a new fingerprint sensor under the screen, something that called the brand "revolutionary." "When you place your thumb on the screen, the sensor sends an ultrasonic pulse to detect the three-dimensional reliefs of your fingerprint quickly and accurately," the group explained during its presentation.

Different digital services that use the fingerprint to authorize payments have urged users of this device to give priority to other security measures such as passwords. Samsung has previously faced other major setbacks with flagship products such as the Galaxy Note 7, withdrawn from the market in 2016 for presenting failures in its batteries, or the temporary cancellation of the Galaxy Fold, the first folding device, due to the fragility of your screen.