Google Pixel 6a - fingerprint sensor issue

A fingerprint lock that opens for strangers

Fingerprint sensors are meant to make sure that only you can unlock your phone, access your data and approve payments. But during a recent test within the international ICRT framework, Euroconsumers found that the fingerprint sensor of the new Google Pixel 6a did not always work as it should.

What this means in practice for consumers?

After a lab technician registered one finger, the same technician repeatedly managed to unlock the phone with an unregistered finger: the same finger from the other hand. On one occasion, a different technician who had not registered any fingerprints at all also managed to unlock the phone.

The anomaly was found on samples from different markets, both European and US, and similar cases have been reported online, showing it is not limited to a few isolated batches. Because fingerprint identification is also used for payment systems, the flaw has a high potential impact on consumers’ security, privacy and data protection.

Euroconsumers calls on Google to act

In August and September, Euroconsumers wrote to Google asking how it intended to manage the problem and whether a recall or software update was in place. Google replied that the probability of an unverified fingerprint match is 1 in 50,000 attempts, a claim that does not match Euroconsumers/ICRT test results or other public reports.

Google appears to be well aware of the flaw, which seems linked to Android 12, as it recommends upgrading to Android 13 to avoid the risk. Yet it has not proactively informed affected consumers or offered them a clear solution.

Our call

To properly protect consumers’ security and privacy, Euroconsumers urges Google to:

Proactively inform all Google Pixel 6a owners, in full transparency, about the security risks linked to the fingerprint sensor on Android 12 and what they mean for their data protection.
Urge all affected consumers to upgrade quickly to Android 13 to avoid further exposure to security breaches.
Proactively inform Euroconsumers about any other security risks for consumers.

Euroconsumers will continue to test smartphones regularly to assess their true quality and security, and will keep monitoring this issue closely.