TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

Samsung investigating Galaxy S8 ‘iris hack’

SEOUL: Samsung Electronics is investigating claims by a German hacking group that it fooled the iris recognition system of the new flagship Galaxy S8 device, the firm said yesterday. The launch of the Galaxy S8 was a key step for the world’s largest smartphone maker as it sought to move on from last year’s humiliating withdrawal of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7s, which hammered the firm’s once-stellar reputation. But a video posted by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC), a German hacking group founded in 1981, shows the Galaxy S8 being unlocked using a printed photo of the owner’s eye covered with a contact lens to replicate the curvature of a real eyeball. “A high- resolution picture from the internet is sufficient to cap- ture an iris,” CCC spokesman Dirk Engling said, adding: “Ironically, we got the best results with laser printers made by Samsung.” A Samsung spokeswoman said it was aware of the report and was investigating. The iris scanning technolo- gy was “developed through rigorous testing”, the firm said in a statement as it sought to reassure customers. “If there is a potential vulnerability or the advent of a new method that challenges our efforts to ensure security at WUZHEN: Chinese Go player , left, looks at the board as a person makes a move on behalf of ’s artificial any time, we will respond as quickly as possible to resolve intelligence program, AlphaGo, during a game of Go at the in Wuzhen in eastern China’s Zhejiang the issue.” Samsung’s hopes of competing against archri- Province. — AP val Apple’s iPhone had been pinned on the Galaxy S8 after last year’s Note 7 disaster. The recall debacle cost Samsung billions of dollars in Computer wins second game lost profits and hammered its global credibility, forcing it to apologize to consumers and postpone the S8 launch. against Chinese go champion But since it was released in April it has received positive reviews and strong orders. The CCC previously demonstrated a way to defeat WUZHEN, China: A computer beat China’s is blocked. On Thursday, AlphaGo “thought and each other’s pieces by surrounding Apple’s TouchID fingerprint sensors-using graphite pow- top player of go, one of the last games that Ke Jie played perfectly” for the first 50 them. The game is considered more diffi- der, a laser etching machine and wood glue-just weeks machines have yet to , for a second moves, Hassabis said at a news conference. cult than chess for machines to master after the first iPhone 5s hit the shelves. Traditional PIN time Thursday in a competition authorities “For the first roughly 100 moves, it is because the near-infinite number of possi- limited the Chinese public’s ability to see. the closest game we have ever seen any- ble positions requires intuition and flexibil- protection was “a safer approach than using body fea- Ke Jie lost despite playing what Google’s one play against the master version of ity. This week’s games are taking place in a tures for authentication”, Engling said. — AFP AlphaGo indicated was the best game any AlphaGo,” he said. Ke said the computer hall where Chinese leaders hold the annual opponent has played against it, said Demis made unexpected moves after playing World Internet Conference, an event Hassabis, founder of the company that more methodically on Tuesday. “From the attended by global internet companies. developed the program. AlphaGo defeated perspective of human beings, it stretched a China has the world’s biggest popula- Ke, a 19-year-old prodigy, in their first little bit and I was surprised at some tion of internet users, with some 730 mil- game Tuesday during a forum organized points,” he said. “I also thought that I was lion people online at the end of last year, by Google on in very close to winning the match in the according to government data. Censors Wuzhen, a town west of Shanghai. They middle,” Ke said. “I could feel my heart block access to social media and video- play a final game Saturday. thumping. But maybe because I was too sharing websites such as Facebook and AlphaGo previously defeated European excited, I did some wrong or stupid moves. YouTube. Internet companies are required and South Korean champions, surprising I guess that’s the biggest weak point of to employ teams of censors to watch social players who had expected it to be at least a human beings.” media and remove banned material. Web decade before computers could master the Go players take turns putting white or surfers can get around online filters using game. Internet users outside China could black stones on a rectangular grid with 361 virtual private networks, but Beijing has watch this week’s games live but Chinese intersections, trying to capture territory cracked down on use of those. — AP censors blocked most mainland web users from seeing the Google site carrying the feed. None of China’s dozens of video sites Google to cooperate in CALIFORNIA: This photo provided by Facebook shows carried the live broadcasts but a recording examples of fundraisers available on Facebook, displayed of Tuesday’s game was available the fol- removal of toxic content on a smartphone. — AP lowing night on one popular site, Youku.com. State media reports on the HANOI: Google Inc’s parent firm, Alphabet, immediate plan for an office in Vietnam, games have been brief, possibly reflecting will work with Vietnam’s communist gov- however. “We have clear policies for Need cash? Facebook Beijing’s antipathy toward Google, which ernment to stamp out “toxic” and illegal removal requests from governments closed its China-based search engine in information on its platform, the Southeast around the world, and those policies have expands personal 2010 following a dispute over censorship Asian nation said yesterday. Vietnam toler- not changed,” spokesman Taj Meadows and computer hacking. Google says 60 mil- ates little dissent and human rights groups said in an email. “We rely on governments fundraising tools lion people in China watched online when and western countries have criticized its to notify us of content that they believe is AlphaGo played South Korea’s go champi- arrests of anti-government bloggers. In illegal through official processes, and NEW YORK: Facebook is expanding its fundraising tools on in March 2016. The official response to February, Vietnam complained about “tox- where appropriate, will restrict it after a that let users ask friends and strangers to give them money the match, a major event for the worlds of ic” anti-government and offensive content thorough review.” Besides meeting the to help pay for education, medical or other expenses. The go and artificial intelligence, reflects the on Facebook and Google’s YouTube appli- prime minister, Schmidt met Vietnamese conflict between the ruling Communist cation, pressuring domestic firms to with- people engaged in fields ranging from company has been testing the tool, which is similar to hold advertising until the social media technology to healthcare and art, including Party’s technology ambitions and its insis- online fundraising services such as GoFundMe, since March. firms found a solution. singer and activist Mai Khoi. With the latest update unveiled Wednesday, it has added tence on controlling what its public can Alphabet made the assurance during a “I told Eric about Vietnam’s internet sports and community fundraisers as options. see, hear and read. meeting of Chairman and censorship issue and he said he knew It’s also possible to raise money for medical expenses for The government encourages internet Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan about it and would try to improve internet pets, crisis relief, funerals, and a slew of other categories. To use for business and education but tries to Phuc in Hanoi on Friday, the government freedom here in a delicate way,” Khoi told start a fundraiser, scroll down the “menu” icon on mobile block access to material considered sub- said on its website. “Mr Eric Schmidt said Reuters. Vietnam makes up a very small versive. The possible reason for suppress- until you get to the “fundraisers” category. On desktop, visit (he) will tightly cooperate with Vietnam to part of the business operations of compa- ing coverage while allowing Google to facebook.com/fundraisers. Facebook says it will review all remove toxic information violating nies such as Facebook and Google, but is organize the event was unclear. Vietnamese laws and will consider opening one of Asia’s fastest growing economies fundraisers within 24 hours. There is a fee of 6.9 percent of Censorship orders to Chinese media are a representative office in the country,” it and a hot investment target for global the total amount raised plus 30 cents for payment process- officially secret and government officials said in a statement. Google said it had no consumer brands. — Reuters ing, vetting and security.— AP refuse to confirm whether online material