In lieu of reports of an issue with ultrasonic fingerprint readers on the Galaxy Note 10/10 Plus (review) and Galaxy S10/S10 Plus, Samsung has updated users on actions they can take to safeguard their smartphone security.  

The issue involved ultrasonic fingerprint sensors unlocking devices after recognizing 3-dimensional patterns appearing on certain silicone screen protecting cases as users’ fingerprints.

The company urged users of the affected phones to remove the cover, delete all previous fingerprints and newly register their fingerprints. Additionally, it encouraged those who currently use front screen protective covers to refrain from using the affected cover until their device has been updated with a new software patch.

For those who shudder at the thought of leaving their screen unprotected, it will not be for long. Samsung has confirmed that a software update has already been released locally.

Once updated, users are advised to scan their fingerprint in its entirety, so that all portions of their fingerprint, including the center and corners have been fully scanned, before replacing the cover.

The issue - and its resolution - comes in the wake of the announcement of a number of new features being rolled out to the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus via a software update.