Called “Biometric capture for unauthorized user identification”, the patent describes how an unrecognized user’s biometric information (fingerprint) could be stored locally, or on the cloud, to be utilized at a later time for identification. A single failed authentication triggers the immediate capture of fingerprint data and a picture of the user, but the device might be configured to evaluate the factors that ultimately trigger biometric capture based on a set of defaults defined by internal security protocols or the user.
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Apple’s continuous patent application titled “Biometric Capture for Unauthorized user Identification” states that it covers “systems and methods for capturing biometric information for identifying unauthorized users”. It is good to know that it even if your device is stolen, you can find it with fingerprints and photos.
Apple-tracking site AppleInsider earlier discovered the patent application.
Therefore, Apple is working on a system which will not just protect data on a device but also help track the thieves/hackers.
As also noted by AppleInsider, there are now five attempts available for an individual user to access an iOS device before they are forced to input the passcode. They’ve also found themselves tracked down by the true owners, who use a feature like my Find My iPhone from Apple, which locates a device’s position. Additional metadata could be used to complement the information captured on the thief.
The data will be sent to the owner by smartphone or Wi-Fi network. If someone who has stolen your iPhone 8 fails to unlock it in one attempt, the TouchID sensor, camera, and other sensors would store vital information on the unauthorized user. The information, along with timestamps and location data, would then be uploaded to the cloud, where the owner can access it.
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It’s unknown at this point whether Apple would ever make the features available in its devices, and like other companies, it often files for patents on technologies that never come to fruition. Plus, the data collected on the alleged criminal will either be stored on the iPhone itself or, better yet, on Apple’s servers for further evaluation.
