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by Liftyee 374 days ago
Damn, I always thought that the fingerprint data was encoded somehow and never left the sensor hardware itself! OS-level access to the imagery seems like a security risk, but also opens some interesting possibilities for alternative uses.
1 comments
jeroenhd 374 days ago
AFAIK it depends per reader. This one seems to be a weird webcam on steroids, but others do the matching locally.

IIRC, none of them do it particularly securely.

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cinntaile 374 days ago
What's the security status of fingerprints on phones? Surely they don't leave the security chip? I hope?
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jeroenhd 372 days ago
AFAIK many phones store the fingerprints on-chip. I haven't looked too deeply into it, though, so it's possible there's a brand out there that streams fingerprint information as a video.

On Android, there are different levels of biometrics: https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/biometric If your fingerprint scanner reports Class 3/STRONG, hardware key stores are a requirement. Anything Class 2/WEAK or higher is supposed to make sure a kernel compromise cannot leak keys/authenticate to the OS. If it's Class 1/CONVENIENCE, simply running the biometrics in the trusted execution environment (think "secure VM acting as TPM") is also permitted.

On iOS the TPM/secure element deals with credentials, they're not submitted to the CPU.

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maxhille 374 days ago
I don't think fingerprints should be regarded as a secret.
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ta8645 374 days ago
Can you please post a link to high quality images of your own fingerprints? It should be fine, probably nobody has the technology to make them show up on a threatening letter mailed to the government, or anything like that.
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maxhille 374 days ago
Of course I won't, but then again I would send you pictures of any other body parts the same.

If someone gets a hand on anything you touched, they have your fingerprint. Last time you traveled to another country - did you have to give them fingerprints? Is the software running your phone closed source? Could you ambush me at night near my house and forcefully take them?

All I am saying is they are so weak as a secret that rhey should not be regarded as one.

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