Taking cue from tiny variations in the smartphone camera\u2019s sensors, a team of researchers has discovered how to identify smartphones by examining just one photo taken by the device.The advancement opens the possibility of using smartphones\u2014instead of body parts\u2014as a form of identification to deter cybercrime, said the researchers from the University at Buffalo.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike snowflakes, no two smartphones are the same. Each device, regardless of the manufacturer or make, can be identified through a pattern of microscopic imaging flaws that are present in every picture they take,\u201d said Kui Ren, the study\u2019s lead author.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of like matching bullets to a gun, only we\u2019re matching photos to a smartphone camera,\u201d Ren added.<\/p>\n
The new technology could become part of the authentication process\u2014like PIN numbers and passwords\u2014that customers complete at cash registers, ATMs and during online transactions.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor people who\u2019ve had their personal identification stolen, it could also help prevent cybercriminals from using that information to make purchases in their name,\u201d said Ren.<\/p>\n
The study focuses on an obscure flaw in digital imaging called photo-response non-uniformity (PRNU).<\/p>\n
Manufacturing imperfections create tiny variations in each camera\u2019s sensors. These variations can cause some of sensors\u2019 millions of pixels to project colours that are slightly brighter or darker than they should be.<\/p>\n
Not visible to the naked eye, this lack of uniformity forms a systemic distortion in the photo called pattern noise. Extracted by special filters, the pattern is unique for each camera.<\/p>\n
Compared to a conventional digital camera, the image sensor of a smartphone is much smaller.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reduction amplifies the pixels\u2019 dimensional non-uniformity and generates a much stronger PRNU. As a result, it\u2019s possible to match a photo to a smartphone camera using one photo instead of the 50 normally required for digital forensics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think most people assumed you would need 50 images to identify a smartphone camera. But our research shows that\u2019s not the case,\u201d Ren added.<\/p>\n
To prevent forgeries, Ren designed a protocol\u2014it is part of the authentication process described below\u2014which detects and stops two types of attacks.<\/p>\n
More savvy cybercriminals could potentially remove the PRNU from their device.<\/p>\n
But Ren\u2019s protocol can spot this because the QR codes include an embedded probe signal that will be weakened by the removal process.<\/p>\n
The new technology is scheduled to be presented in February at the 2018 Network and Distributed Systems Security Conference in California.<\/p>\n
IANS<\/p>\n
Picture courtesy: Alamy Image<\/p>\n
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