Anyone using fingerprint readers on laptops?

Tom Dunne

As per the title, I got hold of a Dell M2300 with the fingerprint reader and am using it for logging in to Windows. Ultimately, I hope to use it to secure the laptop and encrypt the documents folder on the hard drive.

Has anyone any experience using fingerprint readers on laptops? Are they reliable? Any pros or cons? The biggest thing I can see from my perspective is negating the need to remember a password, which is good for end users.

Or are they just a gimmick?

Vokes

Had a fingerprint reader on a Dell D620 work laptop. The main advantage was not having to remember the BIOS / Windows passwords. The main con with it was that it took a painfully long time from pressing the power button to getting the Windows desktop with everthing started - I figured the fringerprint software was slowing down the whole thing for some reason, so I stopped using it after a while.

Of course not everyone will have the same experience I expect.

Overheal

I use it for getting into windows. It was really far too annoying to use as a password manager for firefox though. As for encryption, I have no idea: never tried anything like that. I guess you only would have to worry if someone cut off your fingers, but even then I think theyve gotten to a point where the scanner needs to be able to pick up on your natural electric field in order for the scan to go through, so cutoff fingers dont hack it anymore.

AlmightyCushion

There was a great video I seen a while back where someone got around the fingerprint scanner on a laptop incredibly easily using very cheap equipment. No idea where it was unfortunately. So from a security point of view they aren't great but can be much better than a password depending on the user. One time I was fixing a computer for someone and forgot to ask for the password. The hint was football. Two guesses later I was in, it was arsenal. If you have people who use tough to guess passwords and hints that don't make it blatently obvious then the fingerprint scanner may make it easier to get access to the system. Seeing as you get the option to use the password or the fingerprint scanner, they don't offer any advantages there anyways.

The only handy thing I can see with them is, like you say, it removes the hassle of the user having to remember the password. This could be a bad thing though. If someone needs access to their pc and the fingerprint reader goes tits up and the user doesn't remember their password, you will have to get them into it. Whereas if they still remembered their password they could use that until you sorted out the hardware.

I still think they are a gimmick that are more of a nuisance then anything else.

Run_to_da_hills

Have one and disconnected it immediately as I had nothing but hassle with it.

I would be more concerned about inbuilt 13.56 MHZ RFID smartcard readers that could be used for compulsory administration identification in the future. They are already availible as a USB device. The next generation NFC mobile phones will be all RFID compatible.

BostonB

We have one on a Dell M1330 and think its great. We use it mainly for switching profiles, logging on etc.

ntlbell

Tom Dunne wrote: »

As per the title, I got hold of a Dell M2300 with the fingerprint reader and am using it for logging in to Windows. Ultimately, I hope to use it to secure the laptop and encrypt the documents folder on the hard drive.

Has anyone any experience using fingerprint readers on laptops? Are they reliable? Any pros or cons? The biggest thing I can see from my perspective is negating the need to remember a password, which is good for end users.

Or are they just a gimmick?

if used in conjuction with your normal security practices it can't do any harm.

but at the end of the day if someone has physical access it makes little difference.

Tom Dunne

Overheal wrote: »

As for encryption, I have no idea: never tried anything like that.

The Dell laptop I am playing around with has software that creates an encrypted vault for documents, accessible via fingerprint.

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

There was a great video I seen a while back where someone got around the fingerprint scanner on a laptop incredibly easily using very cheap equipment. No idea where it was unfortunately. So from a security point of view they aren't great but can be much better than a password depending on the user.

Look, no matter what security device you employ, there is always a way around it. This is more an exercise in making it harder for the bad guys to access the contents of the laptop.

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I would be more concerned about inbuilt 13.56 MHZ RFID smartcard readers that could be used for compulsory administration identification in the future. They are already availible as a USB device. The next generation NFC mobile phones will be all RFID compatible.

Ok. Keep that tinfoil hat in place.

Capt'n Midnight

fingerprint readers are great for power on / BIOS passwords
not so sure for windows logon , I'd prefer fingerprint + short number

fingerprints can be printed

BostonB

Its easier for people who have difficulty with remembering passwords too. Somehow I think that anyone who can get your fingerprint to print it, can find easier ways of getting on your laptop.

Run_to_da_hills

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Look, no matter what security device you employ, there is always a way around it. This is more an exercise in making it harder for the bad guys to access the contents of the laptop.

And what about the "good" guys. :rolleyes:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5439604.ece

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Ok. Keep that tinfoil hat in place.

Would you like to put a pass on it.
http://www.wiseupjournal.com/?p=738

Tom Dunne

I think you'll find the conspiracy theories forum is over that way

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I didn't start this thread for the tinfoil hat brigade, I started it to get people's experiences with fingerprint readers. Governments snooping on us is not what I wanted to discuss.

Vokes

Tom, FYI, the software mine used was called Wave Embassy i think. Yours is the same on the M2300?

Tom Dunne

Vokes wrote: »

Tom, FYI, the software mine used was called Wave Embassy i think. Yours is the same on the M2300?

That's the software.

I'm going to configure it for pre-boot authentication tomorrow and see what it is like. I'm already using the hard-drive password, and it would be nice to get rid of it.

Nevyn

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

There was a great video I seen a while back where someone got around the fingerprint scanner on a laptop incredibly easily using very cheap equipment. No idea where it was unfortunately.

Talcum powder hair spray and cellotape.

Overheal

Thaedydal wrote: »

Talcum powder hair spray and cellotape.

It was you wasnt it! :mad:

ntlbell

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I think you'll find the conspiracy theories forum is over that way

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I didn't start this thread for the tinfoil hat brigade, I started it to get people's experiences with fingerprint readers. Governments snooping on us is not what I wanted to discuss.

It's very hard to understand what you want a lot of the time when you ask a technical question you tend to get technical answers and then you complain about the answers until someone gives a very dumb downed answer that has very little relevance

maybe if you state clearly what you want in the first place people can answer that specific question.

they do what they say on the tin they allow a user to gain access via biometrics

if thats what you want they work

if your trying to prevent people gaining access to information from machines when that person may have physical access to the machine it won't.

I'm not sure what more you want to know.

regardless of the software and all the fancy nonsense about encryption etc etc there's ways around everything so if thats what your worried about it's not going to help but will add anoter small layer of annoyance

so if tinfoil hats is not something your worried about i'm not sure why you would be looking into biometrics for client machines

if it is you need to be looking into a lot more than biometrics.

sceptre

ntlbell wrote: »

so if tinfoil hats is not something your worried about i'm not sure why you would be looking into biometrics for client machines

Convenience? I thought the original post was perfectly clear, not a hint of paranoia or anything implying a need for a tinfoil hat.


Using one, find it reliable for the most part. I've had a few occasions though where it seems to refuse to recognise a finger at all, regardless of which finger I use. Hence I've kept a long impossible to guess password as a backup. So I haven't used it for encryption either, which takes away almost all the advantages except for the convenience. I find it handy for opening apps inside windows though, each finger has a different app assigned to it.

Tom Dunne

ntlbell wrote: »

It's very hard to understand what you want a lot of the time when you ask a technical question you tend to get technical answers and then you complain about the answers until someone gives a very dumb downed answer that has very little relevance

WTF? I didn't ask a technical question, I asked for people's experience using them:

Tom Dunne wrote:

As per the title, I got hold of a Dell M2300 with the fingerprint reader and am using it for logging in to Windows. Ultimately, I hope to use it to secure the laptop and encrypt the documents folder on the hard drive.

Has anyone any experience using fingerprint readers on laptops? Are they reliable? Any pros or cons? The biggest thing I can see from my perspective is negating the need to remember a password, which is good for end users.

Or are they just a gimmick?

I don't see anything overly technical in that statement, other than the word "encrypt".

ntlbell wrote: »

maybe if you state clearly what you want in the first place people can answer that specific question.

Again, I don't see what was not clear in the above request. I asked for user's experience, nothing more.

ntlbell wrote: »

regardless of the software and all the fancy nonsense about encryption etc etc there's ways around everything so if thats what your worried about it's not going to help but will add anoter small layer of annoyance

so if tinfoil hats is not something your worried about i'm not sure why you would be looking into biometrics for client machines.

As I said in subsequent posts, I am not under the illusion that any security technique is 100% foolproof. At the risk of repeating myself I have been given a laptop with a fingerprint reader and am evaluating it as to the feasability of using it in our company.

As you may recall from previous posts of mine, I am an Oracle DBA, not a laptop security specalist, hence why I am asking what people opinions are. I am not looking for an in-depth discussion on the merits of biometric access to client laptops, I am asking how people find using them.

Umiq88

I use mine on my Vostro 1310 find it very handy for loggin in to windows and locking the comp when im away.

As stated before i doubt its very sercure but it will keep an honest snooper out.

If someone has access to your laptop though and they want to get into it im sure they'll find a way.