The Fingerprint Scanner On Samsung's New Galaxy Phone Has Been Hacked

The fingerprint sensor on Samsung's new flagship phone, the Galaxy S5, has been fooled by security researchers using a similar method they used to trick the sensor on the iPhone 5S last year.

The German security blog Heise Online, which we found via BGR, shows that a hacker can use a special type of paper to lift the user's finger print from the phone's home button and then use it later to unlock the device.

Samsung's fingerprint sensor lets you unlock the Galaxy S5 without using a passcode. You can also tie your fingerprint to your PayPal account so you can pay for stuff or transfer money to other PayPal users just by swiping your finger.

Even though the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S can be tricked using a similar method, Apple added an extra layer of security. If your iPhone is restarted, you have to enter a passcode, making it that much more difficult for a thief to gain access.

Here's a video of someone tricking the Galaxy S5's fingerprint sensor: