Samsung Galaxy S10 Face Unlock: A Spoofing Slip‑up
Why the Face ID Fails
While the Galaxy S10 brought a bunch of shiny upgrades over the S9, the “face unlock” promise was a bit of a let‑down. Tech reviewers like The Verge, Unbox Therapy and SmartWorld found it surprisingly easy to beat the system with just a picture, a short video, or even a look‑alike sibling.
Real‑World Scenarios
- Jane Wong’s “brother hack” – A software engineer tweeted that she could unlock her brother’s S10+ with her own face. The brother got the phone working with his eyes closed, which is a sign the cameras were taking the gist, not the detail.
- Video playback trick – Unbox Therapy’s Lewis Hilsenteger replayed a video on another phone and the S10 gave in. The camera caught the static blur, the pixelated face, and even the smudges on the playback device—all of which should have been red flags.
Spooky History of Spoof Attacks
Android devices have a long history of being fooled by spoofing. In December 2018, Forbes tested a 3D‑printed mannequin against a lineup of flagship phones: iPhone X, LG G7 ThinQ, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note8, and OnePlus 6. Only Face ID on the iPhone X withstood every trick.
Why is the S10 So Easy to Bypass?
It turns out the S10’s algorithm was more about matching shapes than verifying depth. That means a flat image or a looped video can trigger the lock‑screen, even when nothing looks quite right.
What Happens Next?
Samsung says they’re looking into better facial analysis and adding other biometric layers (fingerprint, iris) to create a more robust defense. Until then, keep your thumb in the “I’m pretending to be myself” position.
