Windows 10’s Facial Recognition Can Distinguish Between Identical Twins

Windows Hello is Microsoft’s integrated biometric reading system exclusive to Windows 10 and it adds an enhanced layer of security. Instead of inserting a password or pin, Windows employs photographic analysis with heat and depth detection to accurately judge a person’s facial features. This is possible using devices which contain Intel’s RealSense camera.

The Australian decided to test Windows’ biometric scanning by selecting a number of identical twins. During the procedure, each twin’s photo was registered to a unique account and tried to login through facial recognition. Unbelievably, there wasn’t a single instance of a twin being logged into the wrong account and Windows managed to perfectly distinguish between twins. As a result, it’s extremely secure and virtually impossible to bypass this system. One could argue it’s a much safer way of encrypting data than traditional passwords.

Additionally, security experts often advise users to have a multitude of passwords for different services. This means it can be a chore remembering individual keys and some websites have their own rule-sets. For example, my phone carrier password requires a capital letter, at least 1 number and a symbol. However, privacy advocates may be concerned about the scanning data. Does Microsoft retain previous scans to ensure improved security?

Personally, it’s not something I would use but I’m astounded by the accuracy of Windows Hello which could easily replace the need for passwords in the future.

Thank you The Australian for providing us with this information.