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To date, digital technologies have penetrated almost all areas of our lives: we make purchases on the Internet in a couple of clicks, deposit and withdraw cash on a bank card, perform various operations with virtual accounts, and also store our photos and other data in cloud storage. With all the globalization of digital technologies, the issue of personal data protection is still relevant.
It's no secret that modern advanced attackers no longer use crowbars and master keys, but skillfully use the same digital technologies and software for their own selfish purposes. Smartphones are still vulnerable, because with its help the user often logs in to various online services. And, if yesterday data protection on a smartphone occurred through a graphic key or passwords, then in recent years many manufacturers have begun to introduce different types of biometric protection, which are based on the uniqueness of the structure of certain parts of the human body. In particular, we are talking about fingerprints, facial geometry, retina, voice identification. Biometric authentication is a fairly reliable and convenient way to protect yourself. And most importantly, you won’t forget such a “password”, you won’t peep, besides, it is always at hand, so to speak. Today we will talk about a fingerprint scanner in a smartphone, or, in other words, a fingerprint scanner. It is interesting to know what this device is, what types of scanner there are, and also how it works.
It should be noted that the process of identification using fingerprints is on a par with the most reliable methods by which you can confirm the identity of the user. In terms of authentication accuracy, fingerprint scanning is second only to the method within which retinal scanning is performed, as well as DNA analysis. Human fingerprints are represented by papillary patterns on the skin, which are unique for each person, and they appear in utero, at the twelfth week, synchronously with the nervous system. Interestingly, various factors can affect papillary patterns, for example, this applies to the genetic code of the child and others. In other words, papillary patterns are protrusions and grooves on the skin that form a unique and inimitable pattern. Even a minor injury or damage to the skin cannot “erase” the imprint, since it will recover over time, unless, of course, half of the finger has been blown off as a result of the injury.
How does a fingerprint scanner work in a modern smartphone
Fingerprint scanners have two main functions. With the help of the first of them, the scanner reads the image of the fingerprint, while the second function checks the match of the fingerprint with those existing in the database. Almost all modern smartphones use optical scanners. The principle of their work is similar to digital cameras. The picture is taken using a microcircuit, which includes light-sensitive photodiodes, as well as an autonomous light source in the form of a matrix of LEDs, with which the patterns on the finger are highlighted.
When light hits the readable papillary pattern, an electric charge appears with the help of photodiodes, as a result of which a single pixel is imprinted on a future image. With the help of pixels of different intensity, a fingerprint image is formed on the scanner. In addition, before checking the print with the database, the scanner checks the quality of the image.
After receiving a fingerprint image, it is analyzed by special software using complex algorithms. By the way, there is an analysis of three types of print patterns: arc, loop and curl. After the software has determined the type of pattern, the ends of the pattern lines (breaks or bifurcations, which are called minutiae) are identified, because they are unique and can be used to identify the owner of the device. Then comes a rather complex analysis, in which the scanner analyzes the position of the minutiae in relation to each other, breaking the imprint into microblocks. It is noteworthy that during the matching process, the scanner does not analyze a single line of the pattern. The scanner determines the match in individual blocks and determines the similarity from them.
What are the types of fingerprint scanners?
Optical scanners come in two main types. As for the first of them, he removes the desired area of the finger by touching it directly to the scanner. This type is used in "apple" smartphones, starting with the iPhone 5s. With regard to the second type, we note that in this case the user swipes his finger over the optical scanner. The result is a series of images that are combined into one by the software. Samsung used this type for some time in its products, however, over time, it switched to the first type, since it is more convenient, although more expensive. The main disadvantage of an optical fingerprint scanner is the vulnerability to scratches and dirt. It can also be “circled around the finger” using a cast of the phalanx of the finger.
It is also worth noting about the semiconductor type of the fingerprint scanner, which is not used in smartphones for a number of reasons. It is impossible to deceive him with a cast of a finger. Another type of fingerprint scanner is the ultrasonic scanner. It has a great development prospect, and it operates on the principle of medical ultrasound. It is almost impossible to deceive him, since he is able to penetrate the epidermal layer of the skin, which is unique.
It should be noted that scanners can be placed in different parts of the smartphone. Many manufacturers install a fingerprint scanner on the back panel, the fashion has recently gone to the side face, and HMD is preparing its new flagship with an integrated scanner in the display.
So what is a fingerprint scanner?
It is a type of biometric security technology that uses a combination of hardware and software methods to recognize a user's fingerprint. It identifies and authenticates a person's fingerprints to allow or deny access to a smartphone, app, and other places that need to be protected from unwanted intrusion. There are many other ways to protect personal information, such as: biometrics, iris scans, retinal scans, facial scans, and so on, down to special blood or gait tests. By the way, gait analysis was demonstrated in the movie series Mission Impossible with Tom Cruise. Some smartphones even use an iris scanner, but the implementation of this feature, of course, is far from ideal. Why fingerprint scanner? It's simple: fingerprint scanning boards are quite cheap and easy to manufacture and use. Touch the scanner and your Redmi Note 3 is instantly unlocked and ready to go.
Just as there are different types of biometric security technologies, the types of fingerprint scanners have different technologies and implementation methods. There are three types of fingerprint scanners:
- Optical scanners;
- Capacitive scanners;
- ultrasonic scanners.
Optical scanners
Optical fingerprint scanners are the oldest method of capturing and comparing fingerprints. As the name suggests, this method is based on capturing an optical image of a print. It is essentially a photograph of a fingerprint that, once captured, is processed using special algorithms to detect unique patterns on the surface, such as ridges and unique curls, by analyzing the lightest and darkest areas of the image.
Just like a camera in a smartphone, these sensors have a finite resolution, and the higher this resolution, the finer details of the pattern the sensor will be able to distinguish on your finger, the higher the security. However, the sensors of these sensors have much greater contrast than a conventional camera. As a rule, they have a very high number of diodes per inch in order to capture an image at close range. But when you put your finger on the scanner, its camera does not see anything, because it's dark, you object. Right. Therefore, optical scanners also have entire arrays of LEDs as a flash to illuminate the scanned area. Obviously, this design is too bulky for a phone, where the thinness of the case plays an important role.
The main disadvantage of optical scanners is that they are quite easy to fool. Optical scanners capture only 2D images. Many have seen how, with the help of simple manipulations with the same PVA glue or simply with a high-quality photograph, a scanner is hacked and access to your important documents or cats is obtained. Therefore, this type of security is not suitable for smartphones.
Just as you can now find smartphones with a resistive screen, you can also find optical fingerprint scanners. They are still used in many areas, except for those where real security is needed. Recently, with the development of technology and the increase in demand for more serious security, smartphones have unanimously adopted and use capacitive scanners. They will be discussed below.
Capacitive Scanners
This is the most commonly seen type of fingerprint scanner today. As the name suggests, the capacitor is the main scanning unit in a capacitive scanner. Instead of creating a traditional fingerprint image, capacitive scanners use arrays of tiny capacitor circuits to collect fingerprint data. Capacitors store an electric charge and, by putting a finger on the surface of the scanner, the accumulated in the capacitor will be slightly changed in those places where the comb on the pattern touches the plate, and will remain relatively unchanged, where, on the contrary, there are depressions on the pattern. An op-amp integrator circuit is used to track these changes, which can then be recorded using an analog-to-digital converter.
Once the fingerprint data has been captured, the data is digitized and searched for the fingerprint's distinctive and unique attributes, which in turn can be stored for comparison at a later stage. The main advantage of this technology is that it is much better than optical scanners. The results of the scan cannot be reproduced with an image and it is incredibly difficult to deceive it with prosthetics, that is, a cast of a print. As described above, this is because slightly different data is recorded during fingerprint recognition, namely, changes in the charge on the capacitor. The only real security threat comes from any hardware or software interference.
Capacitive fingerprint scanners use fairly large arrays of these capacitors, usually hundreds, if not thousands, in one scanner. This allows a high degree of detail in the image of the ridges and troughs of the fingerprint. Just like in optical scanners, more capacitors provide a higher resolution of the scanner, increasing the accuracy of recognition and, accordingly, the level of security, up to the recognition of the smallest points.
Due to the larger number of components in the fingerprint recognition chain, capacitive scanners are usually slightly more expensive than optical ones. In early iterations of capacitive scanners, many manufacturers tried to reduce cost by reducing the number of capacitors needed for fingerprint recognition. Such solutions were almost always not very successful, and many users complained about the quality of recognition, because they had to put their finger several times to scan the fingerprint. Fortunately, today this technology has already been brought to mind and even the pickiest user will be satisfied. It is worth noting that if the finger is dirty or too wet / greasy, then the capacitive scanner will sometimes not be able to recognize the print. However, do they still wash their hands? :)
Ultrasonic scanners
Ultrasonic fingerprint scanners are the latest technology in fingerprint recognition right now. For the first time this type of scanner was used in the Le Max Pro smartphone. This phone uses the technology of the American company Qualcomm with its Sense ID.
An ultrasonic scanner uses an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver to recognize the fingerprint. The ultrasonic pulse is transmitted directly to the finger, which is placed in front of the scanner. Some of this pulse is absorbed and some is returned to the receiver and further recognized based on the ridges, troughs, and other features of the print that are unique to each finger. In ultrasound scanners, a sensor that detects mechanical stress is used to calculate the intensity of the returning ultrasound pulse at various points on the scanner. Scanning for longer periods of time allows for additional fingerprint depth data to be captured and will result in very detailed 3D images of the scanned fingerprint. The use of 3D technology in this scanning method makes it the safest alternative to capacitive scanners. The only disadvantage of this technology is that at the moment it has not yet been developed and is too expensive. The first smartphones with such scanners are pioneers in this area. For the same reason, Xiaomi did not use an ultrasound scanner in its flagship Mi5.
Algorithms for processing fingerprints
Although most fingerprint scanners are based on very similar hardware principles, additional components and software can play an important role in fingerprint recognition. Different manufacturers use several different algorithms that will be most “convenient” for a particular processor model and operating system. Accordingly, the determination of key fingerprint characteristics may vary in speed and accuracy for different manufacturers.
As a rule, these algorithms look for where the ridges and troughs end, intersect and split into two parts. Collectively, the features of the print pattern are called “little things”. If the scanned print matches several "little things", then it will be considered as a match. What is this for? Instead of comparing entire fingerprints each time, comparing "little" reduces the amount of processing power required to process and identify each fingerprint. Also, this method helps to avoid errors when scanning a fingerprint and, most importantly, it becomes possible to apply a finger incompletely. After all, you never put your finger exactly in exactly? Of course not.
This information must be stored in a secure location on your device and far enough away from code that could potentially compromise the reliability of the scanner. Instead of storing user data online, the processor securely stores fingerprint information on a physical chip in a TEE (trusted task environment). This safe zone is also used for other cryptographic processes and directly accesses the security hardware platforms, such as the same fingerprint scanner, to prevent any software snooping and any intrusion. These algorithms for different manufacturers may differ or even be organized differently, for example, Qualcomm has the Secure MCM architecture, and Apple has the Secure Enclave, but they are all based on the same principle of storing this information in a separate part of the processor.
Fingerprint scanners have become a fairly secure alternative to remembering countless usernames and passwords, and for secure payment transactions, scanners will eventually become a very common and important security tool.
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Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Rostest is a certification mark that guarantees that the device complies with all Russian norms and standards for the protection of the environment and the health of users. This sign does not imply any additional differences or advantages over other devices.
Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Rostest is a certification mark that guarantees that the device complies with all Russian norms and standards for the protection of the environment and the health of users. This sign does not imply any additional differences or advantages over other devices.
Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Rostest is a certification mark that guarantees that the device complies with all Russian norms and standards for the protection of the environment and the health of users. This sign does not imply any additional differences or advantages over other devices.
Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Rostest is a certification mark that guarantees that the device complies with all Russian norms and standards for the protection of the environment and the health of users. This sign does not imply any additional differences or advantages over other devices.
Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Rostest is a certification mark that guarantees that the device complies with all Russian norms and standards for the protection of the environment and the health of users. This sign does not imply any additional differences or advantages over other devices.
Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Rostest is a certification mark that guarantees that the device complies with all Russian norms and standards for the protection of the environment and the health of users. This sign does not imply any additional differences or advantages over other devices.
Global Version means that the product is released for the global market and meets international quality standards.
Today they are repositories of important personal and even financial information. And this information needs reliable protection, which is guarded by a fingerprint scanner in a smartphone.
Fingerprint scanner - the new data protection
In the future, our smartphones will only add personal financial data. Now most of our fellow citizens do not use virtual wallets tied to our mobile devices, but over time, the convenience of contactless payments will make them take a closer look at them. Therefore, the protection of the data of our bank cards, which will be stored in the smartphone, will become more relevant than ever.
Until recently, we relied on passwords, pattern keys, or PIN codes to protect mobile devices from unauthorized access. These are really reliable methods in modern conditions, but they can also be hacked. As an alternative to them at one time, Apple proposed using fingerprint identification technology. Once in smartphones, the fingerprint scanner quickly gained popularity, so it is not surprising that models with it appeared in major Android device manufacturers such as Samsung, HTC, Huawei and others.
However, it was 2015 that became the most successful year for this technology. The fingerprint scanner has ceased to be an attribute of only premium, and therefore expensive smartphones. This year, many Chinese manufacturers have equipped their low-cost devices with scanners, thus ensuring the path of technology to the masses. At the end of this year, there are already smartphones priced at about $100 with fingerprint scanners. That is why we can assume that in the future the scanner will become the same integral attribute of a smartphone as a camera.
Is it good or bad? We don't have a clear answer. Like any other technology, smartphone fingerprint scanners have their pros and cons. We decided to conduct a detailed analysis of what is good and what is bad about this technology. For those who use it or are just going to buy a smartphone with a scanner, this information may come in handy.
Benefits of using a fingerprint scanner
A lot has already been said about the advantages of using the technology of identifying the owner of a mobile device by fingerprint. If we single out three main components, then these will be: usability, security, and new opportunities that open up. Let's take a closer look at each of these components.
Ease of use of the scanner
Those who have encountered this identification method for the first time note that it is very convenient to use it on their smartphone. No more fiddling with inventing a variety of passwords, pattern keys or just PIN codes. Just one touch and the smartphone is unlocked. This, of course, not only saves time, but also has another indisputable advantage - you do not need to remember anything.
It just so happens in our lives that passwords are often lost or forgotten. And our fingers are always with us, and the pattern on them does not change, so you can not be afraid of losing access to your smartphone and to the important information that is stored on it.
New opportunities
In addition, in modern conditions, the fingerprint scanner in a smartphone has ceased to be just a tool for unlocking it. Increasingly, manufacturers offer us to use this technology in order to log in to our favorite sites without entering a username and password. More and more app developers are using the scanner to confirm in-app purchases. And contactless payment systems, such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, are generally built on the basis of this technology, which provides the final confirmation of the desired payment from the linked bank card.
Identification technology security
Well, and, for sure, the most significant advantage of using fingerprint scanners in smartphones is the increase in security. In fact, only the owner can access the mobile device and the information stored on it.
It is well known that no two fingerprints are the same, so unlocking the smartphone by another person is almost impossible. In addition, other protection methods, such as passwords, PIN codes and pattern keys, can either be peeped or “hacked”, while this cannot be done with a fingerprint.
Of course, theoretically, there is an option that looks more like spy stories, with getting your fingerprint, for example from a glass, and applying it to a special film that is used for identification. However, in practice, it makes sense to use such methods only if you are a very important person, and information of “national importance” is stored on your smartphone. So, in many ways, the fingerprint scanner is more secure than other methods of keeping the information in the device secure.
But, as with any barrel of honey, there is a fly in the ointment, the use of fingerprint scanners has its drawbacks.
Fingerprint scanner: what to think about
And no matter how paradoxical it sounds, the main drawback of scanners is what is presented as their main advantage - security. When you purchase a smartphone with a fingerprint scanner for the first time, the first time you turn it on, it will ask you to leave your fingerprints. This information is digitized and stored in the smartphone's memory. Apple specialists have done a much better job of protecting this data than the developers of the Android OS, but not everything is so cloudless here.
In fact, in Android smartphones, the owner's fingerprint data is stored as unencrypted files in the device's local memory, which makes it very vulnerable to hackers. So in fact, a smartphone may be less secure than its owner may imagine. Programmers from all over the world have repeatedly paid attention to this, and in the middle of this year, information appeared on the network that hackers managed to “hack” some smartphones and get this data.
What happens if your password or PIN becomes known to intruders? You just change it and thus protect your data. In the event that fingerprint information is stolen, you will not be able to do anything, and your data will always be at risk of unauthorized access.
How to ensure the security of personal information?
Whether or not to use a fingerprint scanner in a smartphone, everyone can decide for themselves. Moreover, this question, apparently, will confront most of us, since such scanners are likely to soon become commonplace and a familiar accessory for all smartphones without exception.
In our opinion, it is important to maintain a balance between usability and security. After all, many of us do not use any tools at all to protect our mobile gadgets, not wanting to spend time on additional steps when unlocking. Therefore, for them, a fingerprint scanner will only make it even easier to unlock the device. For others, it's food for thought.
For those who want to securely protect personal information, we can advise you to use multi-level protection, especially since modern smartphones allow this. For example, after entering a password, pattern or PIN code, you can be identified with a fingerprint. Or vice versa, after applying a finger to the scanner, enter another key.
In the end, it is stupid to oppose the development of technology, and deprive yourself of the convenience and comfort that it brings. Armed with the necessary information gleaned from this article, and taking a few additional actions with your smartphone, you can reliably protect it from access to it by unauthorized persons.
Do you use a fingerprint scanner in your smartphone? Share your experience in the comments to the article.
This time around, Qualcomm says its ultrasonic fingerprint scanner will be able to work under metal, glass or display. They will also be able to work underwater, as they are designed for the IP68 standard, which most modern flagship devices come with. Claimed to work through oil. In this case, the sensor will be able to clearly identify your fingerprint. So if you're cooking and you pour oil on your phone, you can still unlock it and see what's next in the recipe.
An interesting fact is that these sensors can detect your heartbeat. No more reaching for the camera flash. This will open up new possibilities for security applications. Also, the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner will be able to recognize gestures.
This technology will allow you to place the mod scanner on metal or glass without making any special cutouts for this. The company notes that these ultrasonic fingerprint sensors will work with current and future Snapdragon 200, 400, 600 and 800 series processors, including the recently announced Snapdragon 630 and 660. In addition, they will also be compatible with chips from MediaTek, Samsung and NVIDIA.
Not too long ago, fingerprint reader technology was mostly associated with sci-fi movies. Now, even budget Xiaomi smartphones have a fingerprint scanner. We will explain to readers how it works.
The fingerprint scanner (Touch ID) allows you to identify the user based on the unique skin pattern on the fingertip. Each person has his own imprint and "pattern", which is not repeated even in the case of identical twins.
A fingerprint (fingerprint) allows you to identify any person, for example, in the case of searching for criminals. As it turns out, the Touch ID feature is also useful for smartphone users. With its help, you can protect your smartphone from unauthorized access.
There are several types of scanners currently on the market. All of them work on the same principle - the scanner reads the fingerprint of the owner of the smartphone and, when trying to unlock it, compares the “pattern” with the one programmed in advance in the device. If the fingerprint matches, the device will be unlocked. Otherwise, an error message will appear.
Interestingly, scanners do not analyze the entire fingerprint pattern. Only some of the characteristic features or patterns are checked. This, for example, branching, bifurcation or breaking of fingerprints.
Scanners convert the image into a template (template), and the algorithm compares the distance between curves and lines. This makes the verification process much shorter than if you had to analyze the entire fingerprint.
The algorithms validate the print if approximately 40% of the minutiae match the saved pattern. In practice, this is enough to identify a particular user and provide fault tolerance.
Minucia (or "Galton's points") are areas of the skin pattern (points) unique for each finger, which show in which places the papillary lines merge, bifurcate or break off.
Types of fingerprint scanners
1. optical scanner"takes off" the entire finger panel and uses a CCD sensor (as most cameras do) to do this. In places where light does not reach (ridges), the matrix writes "black" pixels, creating an accurately displayed image of the finger. Often, optical scanners have a built-in light source (usually LED) to make the image as transparent as possible.
2. capacitive scanner- instead of a matrix, special miniature circuits of capacitors (capacitive sensors) are used. When we put our finger on this reader, the capacitance of individual capacitors instantly changes. Capacitive scanners are much more accurate and more efficient than optical scanners because they are harder to fool.
3. thermal scanner– it works similarly to a capacitive reader, but instead of microcapacitors, they use microscopic thermal sensors that detect the temperature difference between the ridges and lobes of the finger pad. Such a scanner cannot be deceived by an imitation of a finger (i.e. a fragment with a skin cover).
4. Ultrasound Scanner- uses the phenomenon of diffraction, i.e. reflection and scattering of sound waves. When we put our finger on the reader, it starts to generate inaudible sounds for us. The behavior of sound waves at the contact points of the "crest" of the print area with the scanner is completely different than in the "troughs" (where there is air). This allows the ultrasonic scanner to create an accurate fingerprint of your finger.
Which fingerprint scanner is better?
Currently, most Xiaomi smartphones use capacitive readers, such as the popular Redmi Note 3 or Mi 5. However, there are high hopes for ultrasonic scanners installed directly under the display, and this technology is likely to be the most popular in the near future.
The Touch ID feature in a smartphone, while very secure, is not 100% secure. With the right technology and tools, you can forge a fingerprint that can fool the scanner.
