| Has this ever happened to you? You | | | | Since each set of fingerprints in developed in its |
| haven’t been to a website in a few weeks | | | | own way through thousands if not millions of |
| and you just can’t remember the password | | | | environmental factors there is almost no chance |
| and now you have to go back through your email | | | | that anyone has, has ever had or will ever had |
| and fish it out. Or, do you do this major no no | | | | the same fingerprint as you; even if you are an |
| of security? Use the same username and | | | | identical twin. |
| password for every website and application you | | | | So now the fingerprint reader just has to scan |
| can. | | | | your finger and make sure all the ridges match, |
| It’s time you tried a password storing finger | | | | sounds easy right? Well, it does take a quite of |
| print reader. Basically all consumer finger print | | | | bit of technology to actually make it work. First |
| readers work the same; you install the software | | | | the scanner uses either an optical or capacitance |
| and connect the fingerprint device. You then | | | | scanner to take a “picture” of your finger |
| install the fingerprint reader into an available USB | | | | using either light or electricity respectably. |
| port, scan your finger (usually the right index | | | | They then “read” if what it’s looking |
| finger), and now as you surf the web the | | | | at is a ridge or valley and uses your computers |
| software will ask you if you want to store the | | | | processing power to compare the captured |
| user id and password associated with that site. | | | | fingerprint with the fingerprints on file, from setup, |
| Now the fun part, once you visit that site again in | | | | in your system. They do this by using very |
| the future all you need to do is place your finger | | | | complex algorithms and focusing in on the very |
| on the reader and it fills in those pesky user id | | | | fine parts of your actual fingerprint and comparing |
| and password fields for you. No need to ever | | | | specific features called minutiae. |
| forget or use the same password again. | | | | The scanner doesn’t take your whole |
| So how does this all work? | | | | fingerprint into account when making a match; it |
| Before we start it’s good to know that this | | | | just has to find some parts that match both the |
| technology exists because we all have our own | | | | minutiae and the record of your print on file. |
| uniquely identifiable piece of information, our finger | | | | Once the threshold of matches is reached voila |
| prints. While our forerunners did not develop this | | | | you have access to that password protected |
| adaptation for password protection, more for | | | | page you wanted and you didn’t even have |
| gripping and holding, it’s a nice side effect. | | | | to think about it. |