Skip to main content

Senator Al Franken questions Samsung about the Galaxy S5’s security and privacy

Last year, U.S. Senator Al Franken sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook to get some answers about the iPhone 5S’ Touch ID fingerprint scanner. With the letter, Franken hoped to have some assurance about Touch ID’s implementation and your privacy. With Samsung releasing the Galaxy S5 with a fingerprint scanner of its own, the Minnesota Democrat also sent a letter to Samsung that raises the same questions.

In the letter, Franken expressed concern about the security vulnerability of the Galaxy S5’s fingerprint scanner, as well as concern over its expanded uses, such as paying money through PayPal. “I am concerned by reports that Samsung’s fingerprint scanner may not be as secure as it may seem — and those security gaps might create broader security problems on the S5 smartphone,” wrote Franken. “I am writing to request information on how Samsung is addressing these and other privacy questions.”

Last month, German firm Security Research Labs was able to use a lifted fingerprint to bypass the Galaxy S5’s fingerprint scanner. While the firm was able to access the iPhone 5S using the same method, the Galaxy S5 doesn’t place a limit on how many attempts you can make at accessing the device without requiring a password. This, wrote Franklin, invites “bad actors” to gain access to apps.

In the letter, Franken posed 13 security questions to Samsung regarding the Galaxy S5, which include questions about whether Samsung can assure its users that their fingerprints will never be shared with any government and about how the South Korean electronics giant secures the fingerprints. Franken asked that his questions be answered within a month’s time. Franken, however, doesn’t discourage the use of fingerprint technology. “Rather, my goal is to urge companies to deploy this technology in the most secure manner reasonable — and create a public record around how companies are treating sensitive biometric information.”

Editors' Recommendations

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
How to try Samsung’s Galaxy AI on any iPhone or Android phone
Activating the Chat Assist feature on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Samsung just released the new Galaxy S24 lineup in January, and one of its biggest selling points is Galaxy AI. Whether you love it or hate it, the era of mobile AI is here to stay, and Galaxy AI is Samsung’s suite of AI-powered tools to make your life easier.

Read more
Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals: How to get the phone for free
Close-up view of the cameras on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Despite the recent release of the Samsung S24 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a powerhouse smartphone worth considering. Right now is also one of the best times to buy a new Galaxy S23 Ultra, as it becoming a generation older has ushered in some really impressive Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals. You’ll find these deals scattered across all kinds of retailers, so we’ve done the heavy lifting of organizing all of them in one place. The best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals include some massive savings through sales and trade-in credits, so keep reading for more details on which retail outlet may net you the most savings on a new Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals at Amazon

Amazon is offering a 14% discount on the 512GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, bringing the price from $1,380 to $1,199. That's a savings of nearly $200 to get the new phone. This version of the phone is unlocked for all carriers, so you have the freedom to use whatever plan you choose with it.

Read more
A phone you haven’t heard of just beat the Galaxy S24 Ultra in a camera test
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Vivo X100 Pro phones, seen from the back.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and the Vivo X100 Pro Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra took the telephoto camera crown from the S23 Ultra and managed to take on and beat the Google Pixel 8 Pro, too. Does that make it the undisputed camera zoom champion? To quote Yoda, there is another. The Vivo X100 Pro has a camera and lens system tuned by Zeiss, and we’ve already seen how impressive its portrait photography ability is, but it also has a clever telephoto camera.

Read more