Smartphone Sensors' Data Could Compromise Device Security, Make Guessing PIN Easier

If there are things you can trust to not change, that hackers will always be looking for new exploits in security systems is sure to be on that list. Thankfully, there are also those in the security company working toward keeping a step ahead of the would-be hackers. A new study by researchers from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University found hackers could use data collected by various sensors in the device to guess the smartphone's PIN. Instruments like the "accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensors represent a potential security vulnerability," according to an NTU statement Tuesday. To prove their point, the researchers took the data gathered by six sensors on Android smartphones and ran it through machine-learning and deep learning algorithms.