SAMSUNG Galaxy Note 20 phones are said to have a security vulnerability with their fingerprint scanners.

Reports claim the phone range has the same vulnerability as the 2019 Note lineup that saw its scanners fooled by screen protectors.

The problem sees phones with screen protectors allowing any fingerprint to unlock them

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The problem sees phones with screen protectors allowing any fingerprint to unlock themCredit: Alamy

Some people who had a screen protector on their Galaxy Note 10 complained that basically anyone could open it with any fingerprint.

Samsung later released a fix and blamed third party screen protectors.

It now appears history has repeated itself with the Note 20.

Samsung’s January 2021 security patch revealed the flaw to anyone that may not have noticed.

A similar problem occurred in 2019

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A similar problem occurred in 2019Credit: Alamy

The problem didn’t actually cause as much of a stir as the 2019 issue and was privately reported to Samsung in October.

Samsung said: “An abnormal behavior related with screen protector results in high FRR of fingerprint identification.

“The patch adds proper image compensation to avoid inversion for fingerprint enrollment with screen protector.”

Fortunately, the security patch is rolling out now.

However, it might not be rolling out to all Samsung phones across the globe right away.

It’s advisable to always update your phone to the latest software so any security patches can be applied.

Samsung – a brief history

Here’s what you need to know…

  • Samsung is a major South Korean company made up of many businesses that operate globally
  • It’s known locally as a “chaebol”, which means “business conglomerate”
  • It was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company
  • But over several decades, it branched out into food processing, insurance, textiles and retail
  • It wasn’t until the late 1960s when Samsung entered the electronics industry – for which it’s best known in the west today
  • It also launched businesses in construction and shipbuilding in the 1970s
  • Today, Samsung’s most important sources of income are its smartphones and computer chips
  • The firm accounts for around a fifth of South Korea’s total exports, and roughly 17% of the country’s GDP
  • More than 320,000 staff are employed by Samsung globally
  • And in 2017, Samsung turned over the equivalent of £174billion today in revenue
Samsung announces latest Galaxy Unpacked event where it’s expected to unveil the S21 and S21 Ultra smartphones

In other news, Instagram has reportedly shared secret tips with influencers on how often they should post for maximum likes.

Donald Trump has banned eight major Chinese apps from operating in the United States as part of efforts to protect national security.

And, sex tech company Lovense has just launched a group feature in its Lovense Remote app that sex toy fans could use for virtual group orgies.

Do you worry about your phone security? Let us know in the comments…


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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk

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