Previous All Posts Next

Police Use 3D-Printed Fingerprint to Unlock Phone

Posted: July 22, 2016 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Data Breach, Digital Forensics, Malware

We all remember the dispute Apple and the FBI had over unlocking the phone of one of the shooters in the San Bernardino terrorist attack. Authorities have found a new way to get around all that using a new technique: 3D printing fingerprints. Michigan police recently approached professors at the University of Michigan to see if they could reproduce a dead man’s fingerprint in order to bypass the biometric sensors on his phone. The man was a murder victim and investigators believed there may be information relevant to the case on his smartphone. Police were unable to reproduce the print themselves due to smartphone biometric sensors requiring electrical currents and 3D printed objects do not conduct electricity. To get a working fingerprint, professor Anil Jain made a 3D fingerprint, then coated it in a thin layer of metallic particles. While this is great in this specific case, it does open up some questions in the security of smartphone biometrics. There have already been instances shown of high resolution photos being used to bypass biometrics. Unfortunately, since the investigation is still ongoing there are few details about this new technique, but if you are concerned about someone using a 3D print to unlock your phone, you may want to switch to a secure password.

Related Resources

Learn more about how Petronella Technology Group can help:

Need help implementing these strategies? Our cybersecurity experts can assess your environment and build a tailored plan.
Get Free Assessment
Explore Our Services
Cybersecurity AI Services Compliance HIPAA CMMC Managed IT

Related Articles

NIST CSF 2.0: What Changed, Why It Matters, and How to Update Your Cybersecurity Program [Video + Guide] NIST CSF 2.0: What Changed, Why It Matters, and How to Update Your Cybersecurity Program [Video + Guide] Incident Response Planning: Build a Cyber Incident Response Plan That Actually Works in 2026 [Video + Guide] Incident Response Planning: Build a Cyber Incident Response Plan That Actually Works in 2026 [Video + Guide] Email Security for Business: Stop Phishing, BEC, and Email-Based Attacks Before They Cost You Millions [Video + Guide] Email Security for Business: Stop Phishing, BEC, and Email-Based Attacks Before They Cost You Millions [Video + Guide] Network Segmentation Guide: How to Contain Breaches and Protect Critical Systems with Proper Network Design [Video + Guide] Network Segmentation Guide: How to Contain Breaches and Protect Critical Systems with Proper Network Design [Video + Guide]

About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
Related Service
Protect Your Business with Our Cybersecurity Services

Our proprietary 39-layer ZeroHack cybersecurity stack defends your organization 24/7.

Explore Cybersecurity Services
Previous All Posts Next
Free cybersecurity consultation available Schedule Now