While the smartphone has made many of our work easier, there is also a concern about security. Where, when a hacker breaks into our smartphone and stole our most important information, this fear remains often. To overcome this, the scientists continue to develop a better security system. Many smartphones include facial recognition, fingerprint scans and other biometric systems. However, the trouble with these easy-to-use tools is that once compromised they cannot be reset.
But now, American scientists have developed a security system that will use the smartphone's password as the brain of the user after it's been in the market. Smartphones will be unlocked only by recognizing the brainwaves in response to a series of pictures - an advance that could better protect devices from hackers. According to the scientists at Buffalo University, electroencephalography (EEG) is currently a very easy system, through which the waves of the brain can be recorded.
"You can't grow a new fingerprint or iris if that information is divulged," said Wenyao Xu, an assistant professor at the University at Buffalo (UB) in the US. "That's why we're developing a new type of password - one that measures your brainwaves in response to a series of pictures. Like a password, it's easy to reset; and like a biometric, it's easy to use," said Xu.
The "brain password," which presently would require users to wear a headset, but in the future, it has to be tried to make it even better. It could have implications in banking, law enforcement, airport security and other areas.
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first in-depth research study on a truly cancelable brain biometric system. We refer to this as 'hard cancellation,' meaning the original brain password can be reset without divulging the user's identity," said Zhanpeng Jin, an associate professor at UB.
