Camera Capturing Phone's Passcode Tested
Recently, the WSJ ran a troubling report about "Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem: Thieves Can Ruin Your Entire Digital Life in Minutes" but could someone see and steal your passcode using video surveillance?
IPVM bought and tested two 4MP cameras and two 4K cameras, examining:
- Is it possible to determine the phone's passcode at 5', 8', and 10' with each model?
- How much detail is discernable at 5', 8', and 10' in well-lit conditions in each camera?
- Does low-light, or dark conditions impact the ability to capture passcodes?
- How do IR or White Light LEDs impact the ability to capture passcodes?
- How does motion impact the detail provided by the cameras?
- Does a privacy screen protector prevent passcode detection?
Executive *******
*** ******* ****** **** ******* ******* can ****** * ******'* ******** *** that *** ********** ****** *** ******** - * ********** ****** **** ***** phone ** *** ***** ***** *** within ***** ***** ** *** ******, in * ****** ****** *** ***** or * **** ***** ***** **.
****** ****** ** **** ***** ** the ********* ***** ** ******* ***'* phones **** ****** ****** ********** *******. Furthermore, * ******* ****** ********* ******** activity ** ******* ******, *******, *** screen ***** ** ******** *** *** passcode ******** ** **** *********.
Strong ****** ** *' *** **** ****** ****** ******
********* ******, * ******** *** ** made ***, **** ****** ******* *** not *******, ** *** ******/****** ** recognizable:
******* **** ******* ** ~*.*' *** testing *** ********* **** ******** ************ from *** *****. **** *** **** to *** ***** ** ~*' ********** distance, *** ******** **** *** ****** to *** ***** *** ~*':
*** ******* ***** ********** ** *** camera *** *** * *********** ******, as *** ********* **** *** ***** provided *** ********* ****** ** *' and *** ********* **** *** ***** provided *** ***** ****** ****** *** models ******:
***** *** ********* **** ******** *** lowest ***** ** ***** ******, ****** detail *** ******** ** *' ** determine *** ******** ***** ** * combination ** ****** ******** *** ********* of *** ********* ****** ******:
Passcode *********** ** *' *** **', ****** **** ****** ********
** ********* ********* **** *** ******* (~8' *** ~**'), *** ****** ******** was ******* ****** *** ******* ******, however, *** ********* **** *** ***** provided ******* ****** ** *** **** P3228 *** ***** ** **** *********.
***** **** ****** *** *********** **** the ******, *** **** *** *** legible ** *' ** **' ** any ****** *****:
******* ******* ******, *** ******** *** discernible ***** *** ****** ******** *** knowledge ** *** ********* ****** ******:
** ~*, ***** *** **** *****, enough ****** ** ******** ** ******* the *****'* ******** ***** *** ****** of *** *******'* **** ** *** phone:
**** ********* ******, *** ****** ** discernible *** *** ******** ** **** to *********:
*********, ** **', *** ******** ** discernible ** *** **** *****:
**** *** ***** ** ********* ******, keypad ******* *** *********, *** *** passcode ** ****** *********:
Motion **** ******** ****** ** **** *******
***** ****** ** with ********** ********, **** ******** ** motion **** ******* ******** **** ******. For *******, **** ****** ** ******* on *** ***** ** *** **** Q3536 ** *** ******* ***** ******* the *****, *** ******* ****** ** visible **** *** **** *****.
Light **********/******** ***** ***** ***** ********
***** ****** *** *********** ** *** phone ** *', *', *** **' as *** ***** *** ******* ** the ******, ** **** *********, ********** from *********** ***** ** ******** ********** blocked ***** ********** **** *** ******.
** *' *** **', ********** **** surrounding ****** *** **** ******, ************** blocking *** ***** **** ****.
*****, ***** ********** ************** ****** ***** activity **** *** ********* **** ~**' from *** ******:
*****, *** ***** ** ********* *******, but ** **** ******* ** *** subject ** **** **** ** *** the *****:
"Privacy ****** *********" ** **** ********* *********
**** ******* ***** *** * ******* screen ********* ** ***** ******, ********* on********* ~$* *** *** * *-****.
***** *** ******* ****** ********* *** effective ** ******** *** ****** **** at ******* ******, ***** ******* **** observable ** *****.
*****, *** **** ***** ******** ****** similar ** **** ******** **** ** screen ********* *' **** *** ******:
**** **** *** ******* ****** ********* blocking ****** *******, *** ******** ***** still ** ********* **** *** ******* by ********* *** *******'* **** ******* when ********* *** ***** *' **** the ****** ******* ** ********** ** the ******:
**** ********* ******, ** ****** *** visible ** *** ******, ****** *** passcode **** ****** ** *******, *******, due ** *** ***** ****** ******, it ** ******** ** ******* * passcode.
** **', ****** *** ******** *** be ********* ** ********* *** *******, it ******* **** ********* ** ******* at ***** ***** *** ******* ** entering *** ******** ** *** ********* increase.
**** ********* ******* **, *** ******** is ****** ** *******, ** *** subject ******* *** ****** *** ***** it ****** ** ******* **** *** passcode *** *******:
Passcode ********* ** ******* ** *** ***** (~* ***)
** *** *****, **** ******** **** the ***** ****** **** ** ********* to ******* *** ********, ** ****** details **** *** ******* ** **** models ******.
***** ***** ******** ****** ** *** Axis *****, **** ****** ******** *** most ****** ** *** ****** ** ~2 *** (~*' **** *** ******), and *** ***** ****** ******** "****** out" *******.
***** ****** ******** ** *** ***** screen ** **** ** *** ******, the ******** ** *********** ** *** P3228 **** *** ****** ******** ** 5':
**** *** ****** ** ********* ******, the ****** ******** ** ****, *** the ******** ** ***********, *** *** apps ******* ****** **** *** ******** is ******* ************:
Screen ****** *********** ** ** ** ****** ******
** *** ****** ******, **** *** Axis ***** *** *** **** ***** had **, **** ********* ****** **** white ***** ************.
**** **** ****** ******** ****** ****** at *' **** ** **, *** the ******** *** ****** *********** ** both ******.
**** *** ****** ********, *** ******** was ****** ********* ** ****/** ****** at ~*':
**** ********* ******, *** ****** *** not *******, *** *** ******** *** discernible **** *** ****** ********:
** **', ****** *** ************* ******* in **** ******, *** **** ***** provided * ******* ***** **** **** noise **** *** **** *****:
** **' *** ******** ** ********* to ******* ** **** **** ******, however, *** ** *********.
**** *****:
White ***** ******** ******* ****** ** *** *****
**** ********* ****** ****** **** ***** light ************, ***** ******** ******* ****** on *** ***** ** ******* ** low *****.
** *** ********* ****, *** ***** produced ** ***** ***** ** **** noisy, *** ******** ******* ****** ** the ****** ** ** *** *** light ***** (~* ***):
******* ****** ****** ** ********, *** the ******** ** ********* ** ******* once *** ****** ** ****** **:
******* ****:
- **** *****-***: **.*.**
- **** *****-***: **.*.**
- ********* **-*********-*(*): *.*.** ***** ******
- ********* **-*********-***/**: *.*.**
****-******* ******** ***** **** * *** years ***:******** ******* ******* **** ** **** Attempts
** *** * *** ***** ** had *** **** ******** *** "*******" had *** *****.
** **** ** ***** ** ******* the ***** ****.
*** *** ******** **** ** *** engineer **** *** ******* *** **** on *** *******?
*** - ****** *** **** ***** helpful...
** ** ********* *** *** **** need ** **** *** ******** ** the ****** ***** **** ** ******* challenge *** *** ******** *** ****** people ** *** ******. ****** *** can *** * ****** ** **** sort ** ************** **** ** ****** card *******, * ******* ***, ** some ***** **** ** ************** ** robbing **** ** ***** ***** ***** capturing *** ***, ********* *** ***** PIN ***** ** *** ******.
**** ****, ** ** *********** ***** the ***** ** ****** ********** *** the ******'* ************** **** ** ********* such ** ** ******, ** *********** employee **** ****** ** *** **** system *** ****** **** ***** *******'* phone *** ** * **** *** obtain ** ********'* *** *** *******.