How the heat from your FINGERTIPS can be used to crack your password

If you own a smartphone, you may think that a four-digit passcode is enough to protect your device from hackers. Researchers from the University of Glasgow have demonstrated how hackers can use thermal cameras to retrace the password you've typed into a smartphone, computer keyboard, or even an ATM. Thermal attacks can occur after users type their password on a keyboard, smartphone screen or keypad, before leaving the device unguarded. In images captured by heat-detecting cameras, areas appear more bright the more recently they were touched Dr Khamis, who led the development of the technology with Norah Alotaibi and John Williamson, said with thermal imaging cameras more affordable than ever and machine learning becoming more accessible, it was 'very likely that people around the world are developing systems along similar lines to ThermoSecure in order to steal passwords'. Thermal attacks can occur after users type their password on a keyboard, smartphone screen or keypad, before leaving the device unguarded 'Hunt-and-peck' keyboard users who type slowly tend to leave their fingers on the keys for longer, creating heat signatures which last longer than faster touch-typists.