Standalone scanner keeps your prints out of hackers hands
The ease with which hackers seem able to access password secured computer systems including airlines, major corporations -- even the White House -- it's little wonder that the security community is scrambling for alternatives. But even biometric locks that scan our irises, faces, and fingerprints can be broken if they're connected to a compromised computer. That's why Synaptics has developed a fully self-contained fingerprint scanner.
It's called Match-in-Sensor fingerprint authentication technology and is based on a System on Chip (SoC) architecture. That means that every function, both input and output, happens on a single microprocessor within the unit itself. Nothing goes through the host computer's processor (which can easily be compromised through hardware hacks and system malware) unless the user specifically authorizes the device to use its Match-onHost function. Either way, Synaptics touts this new system as easier, faster and more secure to use than conventional passwords. The company's press release states that the new technology is "currently sampling with key OEM partners" but there's no word on when it'll actually arrive on your phone.
