Using Hey Cortana bypasses PIN and iris scanning

[dmm96452]

If I use Hey Cortana when the screen is locked it completely bypasses the PIN and iris scanner and leaves the phone unlocked after Cortana answers my query. Security flaw? I do have Cortana set for my voice only.

 

[gpobernardo]

Have you tried having someone else, ideally someone who sounds like you like a family member, say, "Hey, Cortana" and see if that unlocks your phone?

Vocal signatures are pretty unique - if this feature recognizes vocal signatures for this feature (hence the training sequence for your voice), then this may not be a security flaw at all since no one else should be able to unlock your phone... or at least the chances that someone else can unlock your phone will be minimal, unless he sounds exactly like you, has your face or has your iris.

 

[tuxedo323]

Those with W10 please check in and verify.

 

[oldpueblo]

So I have Hey Cortana turned on, but not voice trained so that it responds to anyone. I made sure my phone timed out to the pin lock, then tried a query. It showed the search page results, but any touch to the screen jumps back to the lock screen requiring a pin/iris. So for me at least it still seems secure. However, by virtue of me choosing to have that always on, it does allow anyone to say "call X" and various other actions. It still doesn't unlock the phone, though it will place the call. If you train your voice you should be fine.

 

[dalydose]

So I have Hey Cortana turned on, but not voice trained so that it responds to anyone. I made sure my phone timed out to the pin lock, then tried a query. It showed the search page results, but any touch to the screen jumps back to the lock screen requiring a pin/iris. So for me at least it still seems secure. However, by virtue of me choosing to have that always on, it does allow anyone to say "call X" and various other actions. It still doesn't unlock the phone, though it will place the call. If you train your voice you should be fine.

I trained my voice,but Cortana still responded to Daniel Rubino in one of his videos.

 

[Hoekie]

Really unlocked or is like with picture taking?

Like, you can take a picture, but you can't delete a picture unless the phones is unlocked.

 

[dmm96452]

I just had several people try to unlock by saying Hey Cortana but it didn't work for any of them. Secure enough I guess.

 

[tanders04#WN]

Pfft. I can do one better. I just noticed that swiping up right after unlocking will bypass iris scanning and the pin. Not sure if other 950 owners can verify or if mine is just acting up.

 

[oldpueblo]

Pfft. I can do one better. I just noticed that swiping up right after unlocking will bypass iris scanning and the pin. Not sure if other 950 owners can verify or if mine is just acting up.

The iris scanner does two things really, it unlocks the phone but also just flips up the lock screen if the phone is already unlocked. If you want the iris scanner to be used to unlock it every time, then you would set the "require sign-in" to every time just like you would a pin.

 

[tanders04#WN]

The iris scanner does two things really, it unlocks the phone but also just flips up the lock screen if the phone is already unlocked. If you want the iris scanner to be used to unlock it every time, then you would set the "require sign-in" to every time just like you would a pin.

Well that makes much more sense. Thanks for clearing that up for me.