• Announcements

  • 2-factor fingerprint unlock feature is now fully implemented

Carlos-Anso
Thanks for sharing that article, Carlos! It's fascinating to learn about the potential of fingerprint cloning, although it sounds like it's not quite as simple as it might seem.

This made me look up what sensor the Pixel 8 and older models use, and it turns out to be optical fingerprint sensors. These don't have the same liveness detection or 3D imaging capabilities as the ultrasonic sensors found in the Pixel 9. This means that they're theoretically more vulnerable to spoofing attacks using high-quality replicas.

So I guess that while cloning a fingerprint from a photo is possible, it's very difficult and would only be important for super high threat model individuals. Correct me if wrong.

      GrapheneOS

      Thanks for the response! I understand your point about the 5 failed attempt limit, but in practice (as a GOS user myself), you can do 3 failed attempts, press the standby button, and then do another 3 failed attempts before the device forces you to use your PIN or passphrase.

      This effectively allows 6 failed attempts in total, which has been the existing behavior in GrapheneOS. My suggestion is that the new 2FA PIN feature could be enhanced by making it configurable as a fallback after a cumulative number of failed attempts (e.g., after 3). This would allow users with lower threat models to avoid having to always use both fingerprint and the 2FA PIN for every unlock, while still maintaining robust security protections. And those who wish to always have the 2FA PIN could still do that.

      Would love to hear thoughts on whether this could be implemented as part of the new 2FA system or what your views on that are. I do not see it defeating the purpose entirely as you describe it.

        peroxide7881 So I guess that while cloning a fingerprint from a photo is possible, it's very difficult and would only be important for super high threat model individuals

        You also leave your fingerprints all over everything you touch.

        People 3d print fingerprints to fool sensors. I presume it would be possible to select print materials that would work with any type of sensors. With a bit of practice likely to be quick, easy and cheap to create a fingerprint.

        Its the reason a lot of people with higher threat models avoid using fingerprint unlock and another reason 2F fingerprint/PIN unlock is valuable.

            Carlos-Anso I definitely agree with you that this feature is valuable! There is no debating that.

            I was merely suggesting another middle ground option for those who have a lower threat model that could be implemented within this new feature. :)

              0289380427 +1 for auto PIN confirm. The numpad opens only after a successful finger print read.

                Been using this feature for the past week, love it GrapheneOS team, thank you!

                0289380427 If I correctly understand "PIN confirm auto", I'd guess it would weaken the security of the PIN. Forcing the entry of "end of line" seems much more exacting.

                Please don't do this.

                (I suppose the auto PIN confirm could be made a configurable option - at the cost of complexity)

                  I think there is a bug with the 2fa when I end the secondary profile session and the owner profile lockscreen shows first a fingerprint icon but it doesn't respond to touch. It does that every time I switch back to owner profile. I have to turn the screen off and on first and then it asks for a password. P7 2024123000 stable

                    NetRunner88 I have a Pixel 7 ( IIRC tried 2 different mfg screen protectors ) and just could not make it work at all. The Pixel 7 I tried over and over again with numerous fingers and my other hand and it just doesn't work with me. So I researched the Pixel 8 and 9. The Pixel 9 was on sale and also had great trade in values a few weeks ago and I really wanted the fingerprint option. The Pixel 9 works very well.

                      dose0201 This is not just with 2fa. I only use a fingerprint and the same thing happens.

                        Carlos-Anso Right, we had carried out tests on a door lock with a fingerprint. The matching fingerprints were directly around the lock. :)

                          • Rr_dac

                            • Post #84
                            • Edited

                            Excellent feature. Great job devs!

                            I wanted to report that I've observed 4 instances of the PIN portion of the 2FA process not appearing after fingerprint acceptance. Pixel 7.

                            The first two were a fews days apart, on OS 20241230.
                            The second two were in immediate succession about 1 minute appart on the latest OS 2025010700 - I received a notification, applied fingerprint and the phone immediately unlocked without asking for PIN. I finished what I was doing, put the phone down and about minute later received another notification and the same thing happened again when I picked up the phone and applied fingerprint to unlock - no pin requested. When I tried to replicate this a 3rd time, the 2FA worked as expected.

                            I'm not sure what may be causing the 2FA to not work in these 4 instances out of hundreds of unlocks since I turned the feature on.

                            • de0u replied to this.

                              • Dde0u

                                • Post #85

                                r_dac What is the primary unlock? Is it a passphrase or a PIN?

                                    de0u Primary is a passphrase.

                                      I have the screen timeout set to 30 seconds, and its set to lock 5 seconds after that.

                                      I tried "unlocking" in this 5 second buffer when the screen is off. Tapping anywhere on the black screen will immediately spring it back to life (as expected). If I instead happen to use my fingerprint on the sensor, the same thing occurs, but it shows the fingerprint animation (white light under the sensor location) , which makes it appear as though it accepted my fingerprint and "unlocked" but in reality its just waking the device back up before it locks in that 5 second window.

                                      It's possible that this is what I've observed on these 4 occassions - I catch the device in that 5 second buffer where the screen is off, but it hasnt locked itself yet. When I go to "unlock" my phone with fingerprint as is muscle memory, it simply wakes the device back up, while making it appear as though it accepted a finger print in the process.

                                      With this behaviour in mind, I'll keep a close eye on it to confirm if there are any instances of true unlock without a PIN.

                                        • Dde0u

                                          • Post #88

                                          r_dac With this behaviour in mind, I'll keep a close eye on it to confirm if there are any instances of true unlock without a PIN.

                                          Thanks for that update. Hopefully that will turn out to explain what you have observed.

                                              r_dac It's possible that this is what I've observed on these 4 occassions - I catch the device in that 5 second buffer where the screen is off

                                              We are aware of this and that is exactly what is happening. Its AOSP code that fires the FP sensor when the screen is off even when the device is not locked.

                                              IIRC in this state you can also use the wrong finger, but it has to be rejected a few times before it 'lets you in'/turns the screen on. Can set a longer period after the screen times out before it locks if for some reason you want to more easily experience this behavior

                                                It was the first thing I did after updating to this release, this new feature is amazing!