biometrics and fingerprints

[Nancy Palmquist]

Fairlight wrote:

> Looks like fingerprint scanning alone isn't quite enough:
> 
> http://cryptome.org/gummy.htm
> 
> Sounds like you at -least- want a scanner that tests for capacitance, not
> just any old scanner, if I'm reading this right.
> 
> I was chasing links off of a /. article regarding Estonia's new proposed
> RFID national iD cards which will also contain biometric data.  At some
> point someone said biometrics couldn't be trusted, and someone asked for
> links.  This was one of them.  The full thread is at:
> 
> http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/08/08/1711239
> 
> There were more links to chase.
> 
> In addition, there have been numerious articles in the last two weeks
> pointing to RFID's as being readily tamperable to the point where they may
> be a serious concern for retailers--and that's for a start.
> 
> Ah, the wonderful world of security.  :)
> 
> mark->

I attended a session given by Bud and he had the programmer there (I 
think his name was Dave) that is doing the design for the scanner and 
biometrics.  He provided some basic biometric information that I found 
interesting.

Someone asked if you could fool the thing with a latex or some other 
kind of fingerprint copy - he said not only does it look at the image 
but it can also include heart rate, electric capacity, etc in the data 
so that the biometric is more secure.  If I had an image of a 
fingerprint somehow over my fingertip, it would not read the heart or 
other such indicators the same.  Therefore, the match would not be accepted.

I thought this might be of interest to others that have been discussing 
the device.  I found the information very interesting.  I also want to 
stress that the application provided can be widely adapted or changed to 
fit your needs.

Bud indicated that the multiuser version would be available 30-90 days. 
  That will give many the solution that they say they want.

As with any security - someone intent and with resources can break it. 
But for the most part, that will be unlikely, in normal situations I 
think this will work very well.

Nancy

-- 
Nancy Palmquist
Virtual Software Systems
PHONE: (412) 835-9417			Web site:  http://www.vss3.com