Re: Driver for Microsoft USB Fingerprint Reader

Bodo Eggert
2006-07-06T21:40:40Z

Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk> wrote:
> Ar Iau, 2006-07-06 am 00:48 -0400, ysgrifennodd linux@horizon.com:

>> As far as I can tell, the only thing you want is AUTHENTICATION - you
>> want proof that you are getting a "live" scan taken from a user
>> who's present, and not a replay of what was sent last week.
>
> Read the papers on the subject. If I can get copies of the unencrypted
> data I can use those to make fake fingers.

Copies like the one on the glass I used in the restaurant ...

> A finger print is personal data, arguably sensitive personal data. That
> means there are lots of duties to store it securely.

That's why every waiter will assiduously clean your glass. won't he?

> It is also very
> hard to revoke a fingerprint so theft of data is highly problematic as
> it will allow me to generate fake fingers.

That's the problem: You can't know who is acting responsibly and who isn't.
Therefore you can't reuse your fingerprint on different sites.

> Theft of encrypted data might
> allow replay attacks on one PC. Big deal.

ACK. It should be protected by a nonce, too, as long as you depend on
encryption. You should also authenticate the reader before prompting for
a fingerprint, otherwise the replacement device might store the image to a
secondary location. And don't forget to prompt for cleaning the scanner, I
have heared rumors about scanners erroneously authenticating the previous
user. You should also install a camera preventing an attacker to place his
own scanner on top of yours.
--
Ich danke GMX dafür, die Verwendung meiner Adressen mittels per SPF
verbreiteten Lügen zu sabotieren.