Google Pixel 4 is fresh out of the oven with dedicated hardware for face unlock, something Google claims is a fast and accurate method of authentication with a motion detection feature added for convenience. But it appears that face unlock protocol on the Pixel 4 has a major flaw, as it can unlock the phone even if users are not looking at it or their eyes are closed. This security scare is not just a bug that early Pixel 4 users have discovered. Instead, Google itself has warned users that their Pixel 4 can be unlocked even when their eyes are closed or if someone holds it in their face without them knowing.
The Pixel 4's thick top bezel houses dual face unlock IR cameras, flood illuminator, dot projector, a front-facing camera, and the Soli radar chip – all of which work in tandem to recognise facial data for authentication. But the purpose of having such hardware comes into question when it can unlock the phone even if the eyes are closed. The most obvious misuse scenario is that someone else can hold the Pixel 4 in front of the owners' face while they are sleeping and unlock the phone, leading to catastrophes such as data theft or even rob them via banking apps secured by the face unlock protocol.
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