Computer security experts in Scotland have developed a system that uses thermal imaging and artificial intelligence to guess computer and smartphone passwords in seconds.
"They say you need to think like a thief to catch a thief," Mohamed Khamis, an associate professor of computing science at the University of Glasgow, said in a news release. "We developed ThermoSecure by thinking carefully about how malicious actors might exploit thermal images to break into computers and smartphones."
Results of the research were published in a new study in the peer-reviewed journal ACM Transactions on Privacy and Security.
ThermoSecure essentially works by analyzing the traces of heat left by your fingertips when you enter your password on a keyboard or mobile device. Since brighter areas on a heat-sensing thermal image show places that were touched more recently, it is then possible to discern the order in which specific letters, numbers and symbols were used. To do so, Khamis and his team used machine learning and 1,500 thermal images of recently used QWERTY keyboards to train an artificial intelligence model to read heat signatures and then make informed decisions about potential passwords.
The system was able to reveal 86 per cent of passwords when a thermal image was taken within 20 seconds of typing. Within 30 seconds, the success rate fell to 76 per cent, while after 60 seconds it dropped to 62 per cent.
The team found that longer passwords offered more protection. Within 20 seconds, ThermoSecure could only crack 67 per cent of 16-character passwords, but its success rate climbed to 82 per cent for passwords with 12 symbols, 93 per cent for eight symbols and 100 per cent for six symbols.
Typing style had an impact as well. Slow-searching "hunt-and-peck" keyboard users tended to linger more on keys, creating longer-lasting heat signatures than speedy "touch-typists." After 30 seconds, ThermoSecure could guess the first groups' passwords with 92 per cent accuracy, versus 80 per cent for the faster group.
The heat-absorption properties of different keyboard materials even played a role. ThermoSecure could guess passwords from keys made with ABS plastics 52 per cent of the time, but only 14 per cent of the time when they were made with PBT plastics, which are less common.
With thermal imaging cameras becoming more affordable, and machine learning becoming more accessible, the team behind ThermoSecure suggests the types of 'thermal attacks" conducted for their study could become increasingly common. In addition to suggesting alternative digital authentication methods like fingerprint or facial recognition, they offer several tips for protecting your passwords.
"Longer passwords are more difficult for ThermoSecure to guess accurately, so we would advise usinglong passphrases wherever possible," Khamis explained."Backlit keyboards also produce more heat, making accurate thermal readings more challenging, so a backlit keyboard with PBT plastics could be inherently more secure."
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
A cruise ship worker from South Africa was arrested Tuesday in Alaska's capital city, accused of attacking a woman and two security guards with scissors on board the vessel off Vancouver Island, according to authorities.
A pilot project to test and evaluate the operation of federally-approved three-wheeled vehicles on Nova Scotia roads starts next week.
The mayor of a major city in southern Brazil on Tuesday pleaded with residents to comply with his water rationing decree, given that some four-fifths of the population is without running water, a week after major flooding that has left at least 90 people dead and more than 130 others missing.
The federal judge in Florida presiding over the classified documents prosecution of former U.S. president Donald Trump has cancelled the May 20 trial date, postponing it indefinitely.
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
An appeals court on Wednesday granted the Hong Kong government's request to ban a popular protest song, overturning an earlier ruling and deepening concerns over the erosion of freedoms in the once-freewheeling global financial hub.
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
As former President Donald Trump remains stuck in the courtroom listening to salacious details of an affair he denies, another spectacle is playing out in the background as his vice presidential tryouts get underway.
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
European countries have reported a surge in whooping cough cases in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, with 10 times as many identified as in each of the previous two years.
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Apple is hoping its latest iPad lineup will breathe new life into its sluggish tablet market. In a pre-recorded live streamed event from its Cupertino, California headquarters, the company introduced the latest versions of its iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and an all-new Apple Pencil Pro.
Scientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said on Tuesday it was expanding its suite of generative AI ads products to offer tools that can automatically create variations of images and overlay text atop them.
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.
London Drugs says it has reopened all its stores across Western Canada after a cybersecurity breach forced the retailer to close last month.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
For the past 12 years, Krista Richard has been delivering bikes to people in the Greater Moncton area free of charge.
Vancouver won't be hosting a public viewing party for Wednesday night's game, the mayor announced at an early morning news conference.
The Montreal Canadiens retained the fifth pick in the upcoming NHL lottery draft on Tuesday night.
Rick Tocchet doesn't mind the fact that his Vancouver Canucks aren't favoured to win against their next playoff opponent.
A pilot project to test and evaluate the operation of federally-approved three-wheeled vehicles on Nova Scotia roads starts next week.
The federal Liberals are trying to crack down on a scourge of auto thefts across the country, even as the government is struggling to keep its own vehicles away from thieves, new data show.
Ford is set to recall some pickup trucks in Canada due to potential tail light failure.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Whether passionate about Poirot or hungry for Holmes, Winnipeg mystery obsessives have had a local haunt for over 30 years in which to search out their latest page-turners.
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
Vancouver won't be hosting a public viewing party for Wednesday night's game, the mayor announced at an early morning news conference.
A cruise ship worker from South Africa was arrested Tuesday in Alaska's capital city, accused of attacking a woman and two security guards with scissors on board the vessel off Vancouver Island, according to authorities.
A true crime drama based on the 1997 murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk does 'a great disservice' to the victim, her family and her community, says a retired cop who worked on the original investigation.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Police are looking for the public's help to track down a Calgary suspect.
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
The flag of Israel will fly at Ottawa City Hall on May 14 to mark the country's Independence Day, but the City of Ottawa says it will not hold the customary flag-raising ceremony due to concerns about public safety.
A Kanata couple is Ottawa's newest millionaire, after winning a $5 million lottery jackpot. Donna Rathwell and Norman Hewitt won the Lotto 6/49 Classic Jackpot during the March 20 draw.
The Quebec Bar's judicial clinic says it will start offering more free housing consultations to people in need ahead of the July 1 moving day.
Quebec’s education minister is now considering banning cell phones everywhere in schools, not just in the classroom, as is currently the case.
Four suspects were arrested, and guns, drugs and cash were seized in a two-day Montreal police organized crime squad operation.
The rain's done in the Edmonton region. There's still some rain and snow falling in southern Alberta this morning, and a bit of lingering precip in parts of northeastern Alberta.
The Vancouver Canucks won the Pacific Division by five points over the Edmonton Oilers and swept the regular-season series. Yet when they kick off their Western Conference semifinal series Wednesday in Vancouver, the Canucks are the underdogs.
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
Maritime residents may receive an alert on their smartphones, radios and TVs Wednesday as part of a test for Canada's national public alerting system.
Nova Scotia's police watchdog says a Halifax Regional Police officer has been charged with assault.
The MacKay Bridge in Halifax will be closed most weekends in June to allow maintenance and inspection work to be completed.
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
This year's tick season is trending upward in Manitoba according to data and experts.
A new restaurant at Hargrave Street Market is hoping to score big with Winnipeggers.
Voting is open for Saskatchewan teachers Wednesday and Thursday as they decide whether or not to accept a contract offer from the provincial government, dubbed their 'final offer.'
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has released more details surrounding a woman's death that occurred following an interaction with Swift Current RCMP over the weekend.
After a rainy start to the week in Regina sunshine is now in the forecast for the remainder of the week.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Two Kitchener residents are facing charges in what police are calling one of the largest drug seizures in the Waterloo Regional Police Services’ history.
It happened on Sparling Street in Seaforth. The road is closed between Market Street and John Street.
Voting is open for Saskatchewan teachers Wednesday and Thursday as they decide whether or not to accept a contract offer from the provincial government, dubbed their 'final offer.'
They call it sudden death overtime for a reason, and game seven of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) east final between the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors delivered just that.
A Saskatchewan care home where an elderly man was allegedly attacked is suspended from taking on hospital patients following a recent inspection of the facility.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Sault Ste. Marie police are asking people to avoid the Queen Street East area Wednesday as firefighters battle a blaze downtown.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
It happened on Sparling Street in Seaforth. The road is closed between Market Street and John Street.
A man working on a Lucan-area home last week has passed away. Collin Mastorakos was injured in a construction accident on Sainsbury Line on April 29.
The first happened around 6 p.m. in the area of Adelaide Street north near Nelson Street. A second crash happened around 10 p.m. in the area of Bradley Avenue and Ernest Avenue.
An emotional Cassie Korzenko walked into the Barrie Courthouse Wednesday morning with family members by her side ahead of a sentencing hearing.
Casino Rama Resort is amping up its 2024 entertainment lineup with three new rock performances, promising fans a nostalgic journey.
A fatal crash between a truck and car closed roads in Caledon Tuesday.
Windsor firefighters were called to a structure fire in Forest Glade on Wednesday morning.
A Wallaceburg woman is charged after police were called for a weapons investigation on Tuesday. Around 3:05 p.m. officers responded to Reaume Avenue in Wallaceburg where they found a woman with "serious puncture injuries."
Chatham-Kent police are hoping the public can hep find a 15 year old reported missing. Chase Vantomme was last seen Monday around 4:30 p.m. in the area of James Street in Chatham.
A cruise ship worker from South Africa was arrested Tuesday in Alaska's capital city, accused of attacking a woman and two security guards with scissors on board the vessel off Vancouver Island, according to authorities.
Images of steelhead and trout flicker over long sheets of paper, brought to life in blue and green crayon rubbings by the thousands.
A true crime drama based on the 1997 murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk does 'a great disservice' to the victim, her family and her community, says a retired cop who worked on the original investigation.
Models in uniquely designed red dresses are taking to the runway in British Columbia this weekend to make a powerful fashion statement about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
As of Tuesday afternoon, between 21 and 31 millimetres of rain had fallen in the Lethbridge region since Monday evening.
A woman is being sought by Lethbridge police in connection with a robbery at a gas station that turned into an assault.
Lethbridge police are looking for two people they believe were involved in the 'street robbery' of a senior last week.
Sault Ste. Marie police are asking people to avoid the Queen Street East area Wednesday as firefighters battle a blaze downtown.
A new service for seniors with mobility challenges is getting the attention of community organizations in Sault Ste. Marie.
A 77-year-old suspect has been charged with impaired driving in Elliot Lake following an incident early Monday evening.
The trial of a Newfoundland lawyer accused of sexual assault ended Tuesday with his defence team alleging the complainant lied under oath, while the prosecution said her memory lapses were understandable.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says an officer convicted in 2021 of raping a woman while on duty is no longer with the force.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
