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Atypical Typica Biometric Authentication

Using a fingerprint scanner for Vascular Pattern Recognition of leaves
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Consumer fingerprint scanning is often marketed and used in lieu of a password. While it has some advantages over a password, it is not much more secure. Static passwords are considered a weak form of authentication, but at least they can be changed. There is no password policy equivalent for prints. Not only are they static, they are permanent. True, prints are not easily ‘guessed’, but they are easily stolen. Swipe scanners took a shot at the lifting problem, but let’s face it; you leave your fingerprints everywhere. If your print *is* your password, your authentication is not strong. Scanners are fallible.

In the corporate world: A Strong User Authentication system uses more than one method to authenticate, or one might say that it verifies identification. These systems use a combination of ownership (possession of a physical object such as a key or smart card), knowledge (PIN, password), and a biometric (fingerprint, iris, etc.). Combining methods is expensive, because multiple infrastructures must be built and integrated.

The Atypical Typica System (ATS) uses two biometrics. This would be a synchronous multi modal biometric system, except that one of the biometrics used is not of your body. It is a physical object possessed by you, and therefore falls in the ‘ownership’ realm. This object is a ring.

The centerpiece of this ring is not a jewel, but a small cutout from a leaf. The cutout is matted face down and coated with a thin rubbery surface, preserving it while retaining the texture of the leaf (veins). ATS will first identify with a fingerprint, then verify via Vascular Pattern Recognition of the leaf veins on an ATS ring (which, of course, can be changed).

Since the print, as well as the physical object (ring) are both read by a fingerprint scanner, there is no significant infrastructure costs associated with implementation beyond that of fingerprinting in the first place, which for many corporations, is already in place. And for consumers, with their trendy scanners and aversion to passwords; Here’s some ‘real’ security, password-free.

- Leaf choice available in all vein types except parallel, and all surface types except pubescent.
- ATS scanning software is written to include recognition of leaf vein specific minutiae.

Shz, Aug 31 2005

Leaf veins http://www.backyard...re.net/net_vein.jpg
[Shz, Aug 31 2005]

From the fingerprint dictionary (there is such a thing?!) http://www.fprints.nwlean.net/t.htm
Yep, I see "typica." [DrCurry, Sep 02 2005]

[link]






       Actually, one promising biometric is the veins not of leaves but of your palm. The vein and artery pattern in your hands does not change over time, not is it affected by skin damage of the kind that changes fingerprints. Moreover, their detection requires flowing blood, giving such systems a huge adavantage over systems like yours, where the key can be stolen and used in your absence.
DrCurry, Aug 31 2005
  

       That’s VPR – Vascular Pattern Recognition (oddly enough :)). It is better than what I have proposed, but is an expensive setup, with additional hardware, etc. This idea is to greatly enhance verification without adding major components and cost. I can’t picture consumers, or IBM adding VPR to their laptops.   

       BTW: This applies to physical access (buildings) as well, where authentication may be used at many entrances and sites. ‘Computer’ is the only category I found with ‘authentication’ in it.
Shz, Aug 31 2005
  

       (+) I have been thinking about a device that would only recognize a person’s navel, assuming that belly buttons are unique to each individual and probably not as easily copied as ones finger prints.   

       Oowww! I just smashed my hand while fixing the swing set. Too bad I can't get in past the biometric security measures of my house to call for help.
raytork, Sep 01 2005
  

       I have similar feelings about the "Three Blind Mice" model of organized crime.
reensure, Sep 01 2005
  

       For this to work the ring will have to be a beautifull piece of jewelry. A bit of a leaf covered in rubber just doesn't cut it.   

       Now if it were a million year old leaf cast in amber...+
zeno, Sep 01 2005
  

       I thought "typica" was a typo for "typical", but you're using it twice, and otherwise aren't prone to typos. I've never heard the word before - what does it mean?
jutta, Sep 01 2005
  

       When a fingerprint is compared to a fingerprint on file, the software looks for specific features in the image(s), not the whole image. These specific features (bifurcations, ridge line endings, deltas…) are called minutiae. The set of all minutiae together is referred to as typica. Sorry, I wasn’t aware the word is industry specific. It appears to be Greek for ‘style differences’. I’ll verify that.   

       [zeno], one reason for the ring is that some scanners have heat sensors. Wearing it should keep it in an acceptable temperature range. This won’t be necessary for most, so it can be added to a key ring, et cetera, instead.
Shz, Sep 01 2005
  

       Turns out ‘style differences’ is an accurate translation of ‘typica’, also roughly synonymous with ‘characteristic[s]’ – (should be plural). Thanks for the link, [DrC].
Shz, Sep 02 2005
  

       How about a pattern of fingerprints? You can create a password using several fingerprints in a row: left index, left index, left ring, right index, left thumb, or whatever combination strikes your fancy.   

       Can be changed, just as a password, but the password characters are much more difficult to come by than a character set.   

       VPR is not particularly expensive to implement, it just uses a simple near-IR camera as a sensor. The rest is just a matter of code ;-)   

       A small boy is likely typica nose.
bristolz, Sep 02 2005
  

       …and eat it.   

       //a pattern of fingerprints// Knowledge (but not a password) + biometrics, and no additional infrastructure. Nice! The pattern could be memorized as music (fingering an instrument).
Shz, Sep 02 2005
  
      
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