Fingerprint scanners

[rof3]

Hey,

I decided a while ago that the golden price for fingerprint scanners would be about $20-$40 bucks, at which point they are worth their cost in convenience and cool factor. They're there now, but still don't seem widely used. I am trying to decide whether to get a Biopod, which I have read two good reviews of, or a Fellowes 99199 mouse, which I haven't. I already have a mouse I like, and I like to read reviews of stuff before I buy it, so I am leaning towards the Biopod, but I want to know if anyone has used the Fellowes scanner or another one that they could recommend. Thanks...

 

[BW86]

i've only used one on my uncles cellphone he has the Foma F900iC

 

[sunase]

I once talked to someone who worked at a building where they used a really expensive, business targeted scanner (along with swipe cards or something else additional, I forget what). Anyway, when first setup it was very picky and would give a false negative if you were just very sweaty, etc.. Due to constant user complaints the sensitivity was steadily cranked down by the admins and eventually you could get by with a hot dog, let alone your finger. I imagine consumer level ones probably ship already set to give a lot of false positives rather than negatives, since that would inconvenience the user less. So I'd advise putting some effort into testing how easy it is to trick while still under the return period.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I just dont see a really good use for fingerprint scanners. They are more for convenience than security.
If you want real security, look into hardware smartcards, swipe cards, or RSA SecureID devices.

Remember, it's good to change passwords every-so-often... but you can't change your fingerprints! (Not easily, anyways.)

And anyone can swipe your "password" from the office, by fingerprinting your coffee cup. It's no different than leaving your password on a post-it note stuck right to your monitor.

 

[rof3]

To be honest, I am looking more for convenience and cool factor than security. I'm a student at college right now and I don't have much sensitive data. As for false positives/negatives, I think one of the Biopod reviews said that it recognized the right finger even when slightly misaligned but wouldn't recognize other fingers from the same hand.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Steven the Leech]

I used one at work, a real PIA at times, but for protection they are useful.

 

[WackyDan]

Some advice.

Optical based scanners like those by Digital Persona are easy to use, and have a large scanning area....However, due to being optical they are easy to spoof.

Scanners using the Authentec silicon based scanner are far more secure but take a bit more practice to use as they have a smaller scanning area due to being more expensive to produce. They are very difficult to spoof and licensed packaging of the technology from Targus and APC include a temperature sensing ring around the sensor.

Opticals will be cheaper... Silicon based scanners are still up there.

Both offer convenience in the form of password management. Remember that when you use your fingerprint to log onto a website or application/file that it's really authenticating you to the password management app which then applies your regular password for said app or website. While you gain a layer of security at your computer, it is still best to create randomized passwords for those sites when using biometrics. The software will retain the new passwords usually in a secure password "bank" so you can authenticate via passphrase or fingerprint to call up the new/odd password later -next time you need to change it.

They've come a long way... I highly recommend getting one. I use the silicon based scanners.

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I just dont see a really good use for fingerprint scanners. They are more for convenience than security.
If you want real security, look into hardware smartcards, swipe cards, or RSA SecureID devices.

Remember, it's good to change passwords every-so-often... but you can't change your fingerprints! (Not easily, anyways.)

And anyone can swipe your "password" from the office, by fingerprinting your coffee cup. It's no different than leaving your password on a post-it note stuck right to your monitor.

Smartcards are a solution, but are weak because they are still a token. A token that people tend to drop, or damage. They also tend to write their names on them and passwords/pins. Not a great idea in a business environment.

Remember, The fingerprint is used as a layer, your existing passwords remain in use, and it's strongly advised to change them/freakishly randomize them to enhance security in a biometric environment.

Your last statement -while it is plausible, I doubt our poster is James Bond, or is anyone that would consider themselves a target for such a thing. What you state is a possibility for optical based scanners, but extremely difficult for silicon based scanners, and even moreso difficult with the new "slice" silicon based scanners -which incidentally, IBM will be building into Select ThinkPads very shortly.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: sunase
I once talked to someone who worked at a building where they used a really expensive, business targeted scanner (along with swipe cards or something else additional, I forget what). Anyway, when first setup it was very picky and would give a false negative if you were just very sweaty, etc..

we use them at my work.

the outside doors + elevator are controlled by one swipe card, a second swipe card is used for moving between rooms on the floor, and entrence to the NOC / Datacenter is controlled by handscan.

I agree on the PIA aspects. if my hands are sweaty or tilted at a slightly different angle, it gives a false negative. there was one night where I tried it over 20 times, until I eventually got fed up and called security to get my inside. but that's only happened once. generally, it doesn't take more than 2 tries.