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Understanding the ginormous Philippines data breach

troyhunt.com

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Re: Understanding the ginormous Philippines data breach

#2
> As serious as the info above is, it’s only scratching the surface. Per the reports linked to earlier, there’s also biometric data relating to fingerprints in the system. This contains columns names such as these:

> PRINT_FLAG, FINGER_INFO, FINGER_TOPO_COORD, QUALITY, MATCHING_FINGER

> The values within there can be quite detailed and I’ve no reason to think that this isn’t indeed legitimate print data uniquely and biologically identifying the owner. You don’t get to reset that stuff once it’s been released into the wild!

That's one of the biggest dangers in using biometrics as a factor in authentication. Once it leaks (and keeping data safe is one of the hardest task in today's world) there is no changing, no resetting, it is out there and rendered useless at best or a vector for identity theft at worst.

Re: Understanding the ginormous Philippines data breach

#5
post #4

A friend of mine in the Philippines, a security researcher himself, said to me that "the breach itself isn't really serious -- it's the candidate the breach favors thats the bigger controversy"

My acquaintance tells me the same. Presidential election being less than a month away I can see it being a big thing there, too.

Re: Understanding the ginormous Philippines data breach

#9
post #4

A friend of mine in the Philippines, a security researcher himself, said to me that "the breach itself isn't really serious -- it's the candidate the breach favors thats the bigger controversy"

I find this data breach staggering. With your friend's comment, clearly there is a cultural vector I am completely missing.

Also, please expand on their comment re: the event helping a particular candidate. I don't understand how this incident favors / helps a particular candidate over another.

Re: Understanding the ginormous Philippines data breach

#10

> As serious as the info above is, it’s only scratching the surface. Per the reports linked to earlier, there’s also biometric data relating to fingerprints in the system. This contains columns names such as these: > PRINT_FLAG, FINGER_INFO, FINGER_TOPO_COORD, QUALITY, MATCHING_FINGER > The values within there can be quite detailed and I’ve no reason to think that this isn’t indeed legitimate print data uniquely and…

Your username is even appropriate...

I am very worried with Brazil's push to require biometric fingerprits to vote, AND voting being mandatory...

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