Smudges giving away your pattern

[dubbsix]

Noticed today after locking my phone that my pattern was visible on the screen thanks to smudges left behind. If you lock your phone you might want to wipe the screen.

Try it. Lock your phone..give it to a friend and see if they can recover your patern based on smudges

 

[FireChief]

Noticed today after locking my phone that my pattern was visible on the screen thanks to smudges left behind. If you lock your phone you might want to wipe the screen.

Try it. Lock your phone..give it to a friend and see if they can recover your patern based on smudges

Good point.. the smudges will show the pattern..

I don't use the lock pattern, good point just the same..

 

[dubbsix]

Thanks, I just think we need to think about the data we put on these devices and the security mechs that protect our information (info sec geek).

Wonder if there is a numeric lock for the phone.. if there isnt maybe I'll write one.

 

[syntrix]

How is a numeric lock different? If you leave the smudges, most people that own iphones can figure out your code. I know that's not saying much, but you get my point!

 

[Jedakiah]

You might want to wipe your phone down more often and not use it when you have greasy fingers. Personally, I don't have the problem you mentioned.

 

[craighwk]

Just rub it off.

 

[dubbsix]

You might want to wipe your phone down more often and not use it when you have greasy fingers. Personally, I don't have the problem you mentioned.

Oh im sure not everyone has the same problem, but having smudges on the screen is nothing new and common enough to post about it. I agree we should wipe the phone often if thats an issue, but my post was just a random thought of how the security mech of the phone could be bypassed b some very low tech methods.

 

[craighwk]

Oh im sure not everyone has the same problem, but having smudges on the screen is nothing new and common enough to post about it. I agree we should wipe the phone often if thats an issue, but my post was just a random thought of how the security mech of the phone could be bypassed b some very low tech methods.

I looked on my phone which has Ghost Armor on it and my pattern was clearly visible. Just wiped it a few times with my thumb and problem solved.

 

[dubbsix]

How is a numeric lock different? If you leave the smudges, most people that own iphones can figure out your code. I know that's not saying much, but you get my point!

A numeric key lock sequence would be better because it does not create a discernible pattern based on your input. If you touch the screen and "drag" out our pattern you leave a trail that either starts from top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, or right to left depending on where your lock pattern starts.

A numeric sequence would be displayed as random touch points on the screen with no discernible pattern to repeat.

 

[dubbsix]

I looked on my phone which has Ghost Armor on it and my pattern was clearly visible. Just wiped it a few times with my thumb and problem solved.

Exactly, thank you for proving the idea is feasible and also proving that the fix is to simply wipe the phone with a thumb swipe, but what if you locked your phone and left it on the counter, or it was stole from your possession before you had a chance to perform the thumb wipe procedure

Im not saying this is a huge problem but it is possible.

 

[craighwk]

Exactly, thank you for proving the idea is feasible and also proving that the fix is to simply wipe the phone with a thumb swipe, but what if you locked your phone and left it on the counter, or it was stole from your possession before you had a chance to perform the thumb wipe procedure

Im not saying this is a huge problem but it is possible.

I'm sure it's possible...although I think your average phone thief won't even think to look at the smudges.. or if they do, it'll be after a few shot in the dark attempts on their own, covering up the true pattern.

Of course now that there's a thread on this, we're all doomed.

 

[dubbsix]

I'm sure it's possible...although I think your average phone thief won't even think to look at the smudges.. or if they do, it'll be after a few shot in the dark attempts on their own, covering up the true pattern.

Of course now that there's a thread on this, we're all doomed.

lmao.

 

[JRSly]

Are all you people CIA agents?

 

[Jedakiah]

If somebody steals your phone, odds are they are going to reset it anyways.

And phone theft isn't as big of an issue as you might think with smartphones. Because they can be blacklisted, remotely disabled and tracked. Only person that would be able to "get away" with stealing your phone is someone that is technologically wise enough to bypass a simple keylock.

The only time you'd have to worry about someone cracking your code is if a "friend" gets a hold of it, or if you're a young buckaroo, a parent.

And to clarify my previous comment, I have certainly had times where my finger left a smudge, including an unlock. However, I have instinctively wiped down my phone anytime that happens. I guess I assumed everyone did.

 

[Barbara]

Or if you are someone who works for a school district and has to worry about high school students stealing your phone because they are not bright enough to figure out that a smart phone can be tracked.

 

[syntrix]

Or if you are someone who works for a school district and has to worry about high school students stealing your phone because they are not bright enough to figure out that a smart phone can be tracked.

Yup, I read that story here! Good stuff!

I mean if they are going to hard reset, they are going to search on how to do that! Thieves know their means in a lot of cases. Other times, they just have blind luck.

My house got robbed one time, they were very lucky that I didn't have some metal with a .45 acp inside it pointed at them. Sadly, I was away.

 

[HotDawg]

Noticed today after locking my phone that my pattern was visible on the screen thanks to smudges left behind. If you lock your phone you might want to wipe the screen.

Try it. Lock your phone..give it to a friend and see if they can recover your patern based on smudges

This has been bothering me too! LOL.

I just try to remember to wipe it regularly and keep a microfiber cloth at my desk. You can't get it everytime, but it helps.

 

[Barbara]

This has been bothering me too! LOL.

I just try to remember to wipe it regularly and keep a microfiber cloth at my desk. You can't get it everytime, but it helps.

I try to leave so many smudges on there that they can't possibly figure out which one is the unlock pattern.

 

[GDroid]

On the same subject (sorta), do you guys think a "dry" LCD cleaning disposable wipe will be safe to clean the Droid's screen with?

 

[HotDawg]

On the same subject (sorta), do you guys think a "dry" LCD cleaning disposable wipe will be safe to clean the Droid's screen with?

The best thing is a microfiber cleaning cloth. You can get one at the grocery for about two fifty. It doesn't use any liquid at all. Great for removing oils.

 

[syntrix]

On the same subject (sorta), do you guys think a "dry" LCD cleaning disposable wipe will be safe to clean the Droid's screen with?

sure, lens tissues.

MF cloths with just typically smear the oils around unless you do a good wet cleaning first.

 

[HotDawg]

You must be using a crappy cloth then, lol, mine works magic.

 

[GDroid]

Yeah, I've had the same experience with MF cloths on my eye-lenses and my glossy laptop screen as well. If they're oily, the MF cloth just smears it around, but maybe Hot's MF cloth is the magic one..lol.

Anyhow, the LCD screen cleaning package that I purchase at work comes in a wet/dry combination. However, I'm hesitant to use a wet cloth on my Droid, so I'll be using the dry cloth only. It should do the trick.

 

[crizco]

Another thing you can do since the smudges give it away is to create a pattern that goes back over itself in some way for instance you can have a swipe that goes from center bottom to top then goes to the left edge and back over to the right edge that way its not nearly as obvious and the pattern goes back over itself. if they try to repeat just based on your smudge then odds are they wont get it. you could create really complex patterns too but it will be annoying for when you actually want to use the phone

 

[Jedakiah]

An optometrist told me to avoid Micro-fiber because the will leave thousands of "micro" scratches on the anti-scratch coating, eventually removing the coating. Considering the Droid also has an anti-scratch coat I would avoid Micro-Fiber.

I have used a lens cleaner cloth before with great success, along with a "wet" lens cleaner. So long as you don't soak the rag you should be fine.