New laptop: Went shopping a while ago for a Dell touch laptop for a certain grandchild's birthday. Noticed that one of the features offered is a fingerprint ID scanner. Couldn't help...

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

Went shopping a while ago for a Dell touch laptop for a certain grandchild's birthday. Noticed that one of the features offered is a fingerprint ID scanner. Couldn't help but wonder if that info isn't perchance shared with Uncle Sam??

therwol Loc: USA

Don't know about that, but if you fingerprint data is hacked, you can't change it like a compromised password.

https://derekbruff.org/blogs/fywscrypto/practical-crypto/dont-give-them-the-finger-why-passwords-are-more-secure-than-touchid/

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

Thanks for the informative link!! Indeed it does become exponentally more complicated when moral values and ethics start entering into the equasion.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

therwol wrote:

Don't know about that, but if you fingerprint data is hacked, you can't change it like a compromised password.

https://derekbruff.org/blogs/fywscrypto/practical-crypto/dont-give-them-the-finger-why-passwords-are-more-secure-than-touchid/

You mean to say that there is no way to change to the print from a different finger?

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

TheShoe wrote:

You mean to say that there is no way to change to the print from a different finger?

I would still think it could identify the same person.

george19

TheShoe wrote:

You mean to say that there is no way to change to the print from a different finger?

My first phone with fingerprint sensing allowed choice of finger, ability to use multiple fingers, and ability to edit the fingerprint library.

I had an HP laptop, vintage before 2006, that had a fingerprint feature, but don’t remember whether it included the above features.

Plieku69 Loc: The Gopher State, south end

Windows 11 canceled my finger print scanner. Only accepts PIN numbers now.
I liked the scanner.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

usnret wrote:

Went shopping a while ago for a Dell touch laptop for a certain grandchild's birthday. Noticed that one of the features offered is a fingerprint ID scanner. Couldn't help but wonder if that info isn't perchance shared with Uncle Sam??

No, it's sent straight to Aunt Paranoia.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

If you use fingerprint access, no one else can use the system,
not even your spouse, in an "emergency".
I'll stick with a password.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Very interesting article!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Something else to worry about - if you really want to.

My wife once let a medical facility copy her hand for a woman who needed an artificial hand. Her fingerprints are floating around on someone else's hand.

There was a plot like that on CSI.

Fingerprint readers do not share fingerprints - or so they say.
https://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2019/opinion/is-fingerprint-login-really-secure#:~:text=Servers%20and%20apps%20never%20have,are%20still%20not%20completely%20secure.

Maybe not secure -
https://www.csoonline.com/article/2223077/laptop-fingerprint-reader-destroys-entire-security-model-of-windows-accounts.html

Or -
https://www.google.com/search?q=are+computer+fingerprint+readers+secure&oq=are+computer+fingerprint+readers+secure&aqs=edge..69i57j0i546l5.12422j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Schoee Loc: Europe

Longshadow wrote:

If you use fingerprint access, no one else can use the system,
not even your spouse, in an "emergency".
I'll stick with a password.

You can still use password even if fingerprint is enabled

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

therwol wrote:

Don't know about that, but if you fingerprint data is hacked, you can't change it like a compromised password.

https://derekbruff.org/blogs/fywscrypto/practical-crypto/dont-give-them-the-finger-why-passwords-are-more-secure-than-touchid/

I agree with the insecurity of fingerprint IDs now that it was mentioned, but you can change the fingerprint. You have 9 other fingers and maybe you can use one of your 10 toes.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Schoee wrote:

You can still use password even if fingerprint is enabled

GOOD!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

usnret wrote:

Went shopping a while ago for a Dell touch laptop for a certain grandchild's birthday. Noticed that one of the features offered is a fingerprint ID scanner. Couldn't help but wonder if that info isn't perchance shared with Uncle Sam??

At least with Apple, fingerprint data is stored only onboard the device in what Apple calls a "Secure Enclave."

To be hacked, someone would need to physically access my devices with an artificial copy of my fingerprint, or my dead finger.