Are finger print readers worth the $50 upgrade?

I hear so much about fingerprint readers, but I fail to see why they are so useful. Now I can log back into my laptop much faster. Why does someone want to look at my laptop in the first place? I will not have anything valuable stored on it. Furthermore, what happens if I cut my finger and my fingerprint changes due to the scab?

 

Useful: because you can set a really strong and long password, remember it though, but use your finger instead of typing all those characters. My password is 23 characters long, but one swipe long as well. Saves time over the long run.

If you're talking about someone stealing or using your laptop: it's because they can. They might find a cookie that gives your PayPal password or bank password. They might just use it to get into your email, or just steal it to use it. Someone sees a password, they *might* be less inclined to steal it. Who wants to spend the time researching how to crack a password or BIOS lock? And/or reinstall an operating system? They cannot sell it locked up, because then anyone would probably figure out it's stolen.

Cut your finger?: Most/all reader programs allow you to scan multiple finger prints. Let's say I scan the first two fingers (index and middle) of both hands. Get a cut on my right index that screws up the scan, I'll use another finger to log in. Then I'll rescan my scarred index to fix the problem. Loose a hand (yes, macabre thought but bad things happen) or a few fingers of a hand...well, that's why I've got my left fingers scanned.

 

And if you lose that hand too, well I'm sure (never tested or tried) you can use your footprints.

 

That's really gruesome...though I think I'd have trouble swiping my big toe .

There's always the typed password if something happens to all the fingers you scan, but you still have fingers left .

 

i voted yes cuz theyre quite useful in my opinion worth the $50 or so quite helpful as it minimizes the use of passwords and for a person like me it wd be a god send cuz i just cant seems to remeber passwords ....seems like me and passwords dont go together but i dont have a finger print reader but wud luv to have it on my rig

 

lol type the 23 long password with your tongue or nose. But, yes, I think a finger print reader is worth it, it's only $50 more.

 

Hmm... But I fail to see what I would do with a laptop, if I don't have any fingers left to type with..... Maybe learn typing with my feet, and then give roadshows...

 

haha well the nose sounds fine but the toungue......naah ill end up gettin saliva on the keyboard then cleaning it will be a different story alltogether lol

 

Night_2004 made a good point about the Long passwords. Hopefully you use one you can remember. Like your full name and birthday backwards or in random order.

How good are they on Laptops? I used them on computers in the military, but they was ones that you press your finger on a small touch pad like surface. The ones I see on laptops are the ones you roll your finger over. It would be nice if they could integrated a finger print reader inside the touch pad while keeping the touch pad the same.

 

i guess i am the only one here who has it and doesn't use it

i personally find it kinda annoying.

 

If it's something you think you would use, it's worth $50. But if you're trying to save every dollar you can--you could also skip it and be fine.

They are very useful in my opinion though. Many of the reasons night_2004 raised are very valid. And I never thought I'd use the one that comes with my HEL80--but at times I have to think about what a password for a website is when I'm on another computer I've become so accustomed to swiping instead of typing. It can be very convenient and add a certain level of security as well.

 

It's useful if you have a lot of important information in it. I've got my laptop recently stolen. I made the mistake of not password protecting the OS or browser. The thief will be able to get my password, and will eventually be able to access my stored credit card info as well. I had to cancel all my credit cards and change all the passwords immediately. They did however, take my Real.com free trial subscription.

 

chris:

I have to agree...I originally thought it was pure novelty but really have come to pretty much dependent on the FP reader to keep track of my passwords.

And I like night_2004's suggestion about using long very random passwords too. It is nice to not need to keep a list or create a mnemonic to remind me about what password I used an hour ago, let alone weeks or months ago.

I have noticed on the HP system it the scanning utility does not come up as fast if I get too many ID's in the system...so I go in and clean out changed or unused ID, or as they call them credentials.

 

but doesnt the hp laptops use the same module as the thinkpads and the others?

 

I voted no, even though I'd pay 50$ for it. They aren't neccessary to keep your computer safe (there are other ways of doing that) and if you're on a budget spend the 50$ on something else. I think it's more of a "want" than "need".

 

Now the smart thief will cut off your hands when he steals your laptop.

 

hm....from now on if i even think of using a finger print reader im using my foot

 

If someone gets physical access to your laptop (i.e., they can access your laptop when you are not in the room), you should be more concerned with the laptop itself getting stolen more than your password getting hacked.

Most people steal laptops to sell them or reformat and use them. And if they really wanted access to your passwords and CC#s, they can steal your laptop, take out the hard drive and look through your files.

 

I never thought of it that way. You are right. If I give someone enough time to guess even a simple password, that is enough time to steal the entire laptop. Finger print readers are only a novelty.

 

Argh/that's-not-very-nice. So they can bypass even someones best passwords by taking the harddrive out?

I heard something about protecting the BIOS (i do not exactly know what it is) with a password to make your PC safer. But, I also heard even the BIOS password is bypassable... Does anyone know about this?

 

I plan to buy a very expansive laptop lock ($50) and keep a constant eye on my laptop. This means I am going to take it everywhere with me. If I go to the bathroom, it goes too.

 

Do you have a huge "expansive" laptop necessitating an "expansive" lock?

And hey one of the perks of a wifi laptop IS the ability to post from the Throne Room...

 

hmmmm...maybe one should scan "old blue" as he is usually much better protected by both hands...it would take one busy thief to grab him...or Lorena Bobbitt...

 

wow,people who think its just a novelty out number the people like me who think its worth it
hm......
come rain come snow i still stand by my view

 

I agree with noblepaladin. If someone has access to you laptop long enough to get through even a simple password, they have enough time to steal the whole thing.

 

well in that case a smart thief could just swap the hdd right? its easier too than carrying the whole lappy too

 

Thieves are not that smart. They are usually after the most valuable parts they can strip and resell. They sometimes just keep the laptop for themselves. However, if you really want the information, that might be the fastest way to get it. I do not know how to protect against that. Maybe hire a large ex marine with a M15 to stand in front of your laptop.

 

haha hm.....well that would be useful to an extent aybe but what if the marine itself turns out to be the theif

or just keep your latop with you ALL the time!!! even when you go to the loo

 

For the average user, a password should do the trick. To get a $50 add-on might just be a sweet add on to the deal. If your laptop comes preinstalled with the fingerprint reader, then it's pretty nice to use it (since it's there).

As for someone mentioning the theif cutting off the hand/finger, it might not work. Some fingerprint reader has mechanisms to detect if the finger is emitting body heat/life. But i'm sure a smart theif will be keeping it warm......

 

If you are looking at the fingerprint scanner as a security system in itself...it is not that hard to beat. The bottom line is that if someone really wants your notebook--there is little that can stop them from getting it (short of having it with you 24/7 as mentioned above).

It is an extra line of security for your data--but it is more valuable as a feature of convenience in my opinion. Again--someone who really wants my passwords can probably get to them somehow. It's more a matter of how long it takes to crack something than whether or not it is crackable. Setting them up like night_2004 suggested at the top of the thread is a great idea that should be noted again.

A good notebook lock or keeping an eye on your system is the best physical security system.

 

Since we're talking about theft protection, I have a question.

Are you guys familiar of LoJack for laptops? Its so that when your laptop is stolen, you can report it and LoJack will track your laptop back through it's internet connection. Now, if you have a laptop that is fingerprint protected and the theif can't get past it and therefore cannot connect online...does that mean LoJack is useless? It seems that the added security would prevent programs such as LoJack to even work, right?

I know on my Vaio SZ that when the WLAN switch is on, the wireless is turned on and from the log-in screen my username can track my e-mails through Hotmail. Would this internet connection be able to detected by LoJack, or does LoJack first have to start-up through windows startup?

Oh and my opinion on the fingerprint scanner, I think if you aren't entirely strapped for cash, I'd get it because it's a nice plus, although I only use it to log-in before Startup. I registered a page with it on my gmail before but everytime I swipe my finger, it would activate but then the SL Protector (or whatever it's called on the Vaio SZ, not on my notebook) would crash and then I would have to reopen it. It only worked the very first time on Gmail. I haven't tried it on other sites, but if it works flawlessly then I would suppose I'd use it more often.

Has anyone seen the episode of MythBusters where they test out fingerprint scanners by any chance? lol.
Here's the link to the ending of it. If I remember correctly, it turns out the advanced door lock fingerprint reader was actually worse than the USB plugged one. They were able to just use a photocopy of the fingerprint to open the door, but didn't work on the USB one. They showed that at the end of the episode, past the clip below.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1sdwVlRFGdM&mode=related&search=

EDIT: I don't use it in terms of security, but more so convenience. It's quicker for the most part, but I find that when I get callouses (however you spell it, when your finger hardens from say guitar playing) from school, work, and the such, my fingerprint has trouble reading it.

 

Interesting and impressive the number of people that never used this kind of accessory but is voting for NO

Who used for at least 2 days will never buy another computer without it

Definitely: YES

 

My scanner is built in to my computer. Used it once, admired its novelty, then removed the utility since it makes the startup slow, and regardless, a thief can easily just yank the HDD out and plug it into another computer to have complete access. It has been a dust magnet ever since.

Granted, it is convenient if you have an arseload of passwords to remember. But, if you need to use any other computers, you'll be at a loss for what your password is for say, your Hotmail account. Plus, if you drop or rattle your computer around enough, the hard drive will screw up, and all your passwords that you never remembered and that were stored for the fingerprint scanner will be gone forever. And even if you were to temporarily fix your hard drive (most fixes are temporary if the hard drive was dropped hard), it would still be difficult in most cases to extradite all the passwords you need from the program that stores them.

BIOS passwords at startup do NOT work, as there are a few ways to get around them. If none of these work for a thief, they can pull apart your computer, yank out the CMOS battery, and put it back in. Presto, the BIOS forgot it had a password.

The latest thing on the laptop security front is TPM. One of its uses is to store your info in a totally secure (encrypted) place, and the only way to access it is with a password, and the password can only be entered on the computer that created the information stored. This is about the only good use TPM offers.

No matter what though, as stated above, if I can sit at your computer for 30 seconds and try to crack your password, I can just as easily walk away with it.

 

This may be a dumb question.. but what about the old tape and fingerprint trick you see on tv at times.. has this ever worked?

 

Nope. Well, it might work on a really cheap low quality one.

 

Not sure about the fingerprints and tape, but the Mythbusters recently did a security themed show. It featured among safe cracking and building alarms, myths about cracking into laptops via the fingerprint scanner.

I believe the model in question was a Dell (not keen on the specifics), but there were a couple elaborate methods that fooled the fingerprint scanner.

Both required capturing the fingerprint, digitally cleaning it up and creating a "3d" copy in some kind of moldable medium. One was made of ballistics gel, and the other of latex, and both worked.

In the case of a fingerprint scanning door lock, even the print on a sheet of paper fooled the scanner -- luckily, not so much luck on fingerprint scanners.

 

wow, this threads brought back from the dead
though fingerprint scanners arent fool proof they do their primary fuction which is provide a first line of defence against data access
where finger print readers can be fooled data encryption technoligies provide far more better protection
yet nothing is foolproof......yet!!!

 

Well, as far as I'm concerned it's mostly a convenience thing, I can have a password twice as long/complex as I would otherwise and as much as my roommate has tried he hasn't been able to casually log in to my Thinkpad or my prior nc8430 that had the scanner.

For what it's worth, I think the real security comes when you need the fingerprint scanner to get through the BIOS startup as well as activating the TPM, which theoretically completely locks the system if you don't have the required set of credentials (fingerprint and/or password and/or smart card and/or USB dongle).

As part of my HP tech support fiasco (notice I have a thinkpad now) they sent my computer back with a motherboard who's TPM had been activated to require a smart card to log in. I was not able to make it into the BIOS config at all.

As the one and only factor of authentication for your laptop it is likely no better, and possibly less secure than a 'strong' password. However, when combined with one or more other factors it becomes much more secure.

Much of that depends on the software driving all of it; I know my HP was very clear that I could have any logical (AND/OR) combination of password, fingerprint scan, smart card and computer-generated USB dongle required to access the computer from the windows login screen. Of course, if one reboots in safe mode these security things don't always work.

 

I think if you lost both hands, using a notebook, or any computer for that matter, would be nearly impossible.

 

haha whats the point of it if you lost both hands
but i aint saying its imposssble either
where theres a will.....theres a way

 

The reason I will never get a notebook with fingerprint reader.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4396831.stm

Yes, I know newer readers detect blood flow through the finger etc before allowing access, however, but most bets would put criminals cutting off a finger, before realising it was futile.

 

Don’t you think that have a “small” difference from a car thief and a computer thief?
Who stole a notebook will put it in a bag, take to some place, then remove the HD and format it. If it the hard drive has protected data or not, will make no difference at all.
The same isn’t possible with a stolen car. The thief will need the car working to take it to some place.

Is important have in mind that data can be protected with or without the use of a finger print reader!

Like night_2004 said in the second message from this thread, the true purpose from a finger print reader is to facilitate the password input, not suppress the password need. You still able to enter your password with the use of the keyboard. But with this device you're able to make it with the finger print, with are faster and more discrete (nobody will pick while you are typing ).

I will aways buy a notebook with finger print reader, but never a car with

Regards.

 

I'm pretty sure you can bypass the regular password in bios (my brother bypassed mine). I'd be intrested in that bios password though.

 

M16 A1 thank you very much!!

Actually there have been alot of documented cases of notebooks only missing certian parts, usually the hdd. This happens when people fly and they are just after sensitive data, keep it on your cary on bag. To me the finger print reader is more of a toy then anything really usfull. Im not so lazy as to not be able to type a password.

Maybe im the only person to see the episode of myth busters where they cracked a 10000$ state of the art finger print security system 3 diffrent ways within a days time that was supposed to be "unbreakable" and it definitly is way more secure than your 50$ lappy reader.

Infact if you randomly gave me your notebook with a finger print reader on it and one without it, and said "break into this" besides the many loop holes I know about the windows OS where I can get in with no password or reading the data from a 3rd party program. If you told me I had to get in normally.

It would be easier to pull prints from one of the keys and make a fake finger print and get into your machine than it would be to guess your password.

This stuff is not nearly as secure as everybody thinks it is.

You pretty much leave your password written all over your machine.

 

I say it is useful I just ordered a Vaio SZ series with the fingerprint reader my friends love it along with setting long passwords he also has text files with the passwords hidden in a locked folder protected by his reader. For 50 bucks get it because the aftermarket accesories are pricey.

 

Oh ya these things are a huge security risk, a big boon for a hacker.

If you start putting your passwords into these machines because you feel safe whoever stole it just takes your hard drive out and puts in it in an external and has whatever you think is valuable information right away.

Identity thieves are a big fan of this trend. No longer keeping passwords only in your head, youll put them on your machine where theyll get access to them with a worm or virus.

At best this is as useful as a screensaver with a password, it prevents someone from using your machine for a few minutes while you are away.

 

Maybe next time they will have facial recongnition system installed on notebooks. Bye Bye fingerprint readers!

 

::user please state name and commense facial imprint scan::

"micahel jackson"

::commensing scan::

::error::

::error::

::error::

::error:

::cannot read facial profile operaton aborted::


just a fyi, the most secure and advanced security reader/feature around right now is thermal readers. It scans you from the neck up and gets your 3 dimentional thermal imprint, sort of like those heat vision deals you see in movies but many times more powerfull and specific.

things like a retina scan or fingerprint scan can not tell the diffrence from perfect twins, however thermal patterns are differnt, thats how specific it is.

even with figer prints and things there is sombody in the world that can scan and get away with your print because its so close, but there is nobody in the world with a thermal imprint twin. There is no way to fool the system.

 

I uninstalled the fingerprent software on my Sony Vaio because it was a big pain to have to swipe your finger every time I wanted to use the computer.

Now I just have the computer boot or un-hibernate right into the Windows desktop.

Let's hope no one steals my computer.

 

Novelty to the max...
I have one on my D820 it's meh lol