Apple’s Touch ID button on the MacBook is secure. The biometric authentication tool reads the skin pattern directly beneath your outer skin, then transforms it into a mathematical representation of your fingerprint that is stored in the device’s Secure Enclave. The Secure Enclave is like a security chip. It stores sensitive information, such as your passwords, health data, and fingerprint representation, so that no one can access it, including Apple.
First introduced more than a decade ago on the iPhone 5s, Apple quickly expanded the Touch ID button to all of its products, arriving first on the iPad and later on the MacBook. With the launch of the iPhone X in 2017, the company introduced Face ID. This divided Apple devices; some, like the iPad Pro and most iPhone models since the iPhone X, use Face ID, while devices like the rest of the iPad line and all MacBooks use Touch ID.
Even though Apple touts Face ID as its best biometric authentication tool, Touch ID never went away. In fact, it’s only gotten faster since it was first released so many years ago. When it was first released, Touch ID took a few seconds to work, but starting with the iPhone 6S, Apple updated the sensor, making it much faster. On MacBooks in particular, it works great for unlocking the computer quickly and securely, making payments with Apple Pay, and even authenticating passwords with a single tap.
How secure is Touch ID really?
A typical four-digit passcode has a 1 in 10,000 chance of being guessed by brute force. Touch ID, on the other hand, works on a whole different scale. Not only is each fingerprint unique, but the mathematical probability that two distinct prints share enough similarities to register a false match on the sensor is 1 in 50,000 for a single recorded finger. Unlike a password, there is no easily guessable fingerprint pattern.
On top of that, users have five failed biometric attempts before the sensor turns off completely, forcing you to enter your password. What also makes Touch ID so effective is that every time you restart your Mac, if it has gone more than 48 hours without the last unlock, or when a fingerprint or security settings are changed, Apple asks users to confirm their password again.
On Mac, Touch ID is even more useful. Since computers are often shared with different people in a household, Touch ID makes it even easier to instantly and securely switch macOS profiles based on who touches the sensor. To maintain performance and security limits within the secure enclave, the system limits data storage to three fingerprints per user account, with a hard system-wide cap of five prints total for all profiles.
Face ID may be more secure, but it’s still not available on Mac
Both Touch ID and Face ID are really secure, but Mac users only have access to the former. There are rumors that Apple is planning to introduce Face ID to Mac, but this is unconfirmed. Comparing the two, Touch ID has a 1 in 50,000 chance of getting a fake match, while Face ID reduces it to 1 in 1,000,000. However, as many reports showed early on in Face ID’s launch, conjoined twins or close family members have a higher chance of unlocking each other’s phones. This wouldn’t happen on a Mac, because even twins don’t share the same fingerprints. Still, there may be a few situations in which Face ID is more convenient. For example, if your hands are wet or sweaty, the Touch ID sensor may not work properly. With Face ID, as long as you look at the sensor, you’re good to go.
Long story short, Mac users shouldn’t worry about biometric authentication on Apple computers. There’s no evidence that this sensor can be hacked, and the only time this has happened was in the early days of Touch ID. Since then, Apple has improved the technology and users can rest assured that their data is safe. If Apple updates the MacBook with Face ID, unlocking the Mac will be even more convenient. But the way authentication currently works is already next level for users.
