Apple Eyes Way to Leave Fingerprints in the Cloud

Apple’s Patent – Finger Biometric Sensor Data Synchronization in the Cloud

The US Patent and Trademark Office recently has published a patent filing known as `Finger biometric sensor data synchronization via a cloud computing device and related methods’ illustrating a system to record fingerprints on one device through Apple’s Touch ID sensor and thereafter upload them to the cloud to sync them with other devices.

Apple had developed a technology which would sync the Touch ID data with the other mobile devices as well as point of sale system through iCloud. The Touch ID sensor, which was introduced in 2013, is available on the iPhone 5S as well as the latest iPhones and iPads and the sensor needs one’s fingerprint to access the device in order to make purchases using the payment system of Apple Pay.

Setting up a Touch ID can be done by registering one or more fingerprints on your device. Apple, in its patent filing has suggested that the Touch ID enrolment could be complicating for users such as in the case of multiple fingerprints, users or devices could be used. For instance, a couple had to register their fingerprints not only on their own iPhones and iPad, but on each other’s devices as well which seems complicating. Cloud based synchronization could eliminate the requirement of registering all the fingerprints on every device that is in use.

Fingerprint Date Encrypted – to iCloud

With the present technology, the problem is that the fingerprints are stored solely on an iOS device and Apple has explained on the Touch ID page - `iOS and other apps cannot access your fingerprint data, it is not stored on Apple servers, and it is never backed up to iCloud or anywhere else’.

As explained in the filing, one would need to validate their Apple ID account prior to registering their fingerprints, the way one would do on entering their pass code. The fingerprint data is then encrypted and sent to iCloud.

Now to use your fingerprint on an alternate device, one would have to verify them from a `to be matched’ set of fingerprints on the second device and the fingerprints on both devices need to match up with the one stored on iCloud. Going a step further, the second devices in this case could be an NFC enabled point-of-sale system, the one that could be used to buy products through Apple Pay.

NFC/Bluetooth to Sync Fingerprint Data 

The POS would have the fingerprint sensor that one would tap to validate the `to be matched’, set of fingerprints. The technology could utilises NFC or Bluetooth in order to sync the fingerprint data as a secured alternative to iCloud though it would be practical only for syncing two devices being in close proximity of each other.

This type of system would certainly make the process of setting up multiple fingerprints on multiple devices, easy though one of the security benefits of the present Touch ID is that Apple does not seem to store the fingerprints, online. Moreover, Apple would need to prove that the system is secured before the users consider storing their encrypted fingerprints in the cloud. Apple spokesperson had reported that the company does not make any comment on patent filings.

Apple’s Touch ID – Fingerprint Passcode

Fingerprint readers had been used on several enterprise level laptops from Toshiba, Lenovo and many others in the business world but were ignored by the consumers. The Touch ID was branded as a gimmick when first seen on the Apple iPhone 5s with some regarding it as a new foray into biometric security, a sort of helping in justifying the new 5s’ upgrade over the latest iPhone 5.

With the launch of the Apple Pay system, there is now a tendency among consumers to store sensitive details on the device and the biometric ID is gaining importance as a viable system of authentication.

Moreover, the latest celebrity iCloud hacking has also left most of the consumers to seek an alternative to the username and password. With Touch ID, consumers use their fingerprint as a passcode and with a touch of the Home button; the Touch ID sensor tends to read the fingerprint and unlocks the device. Besides, it could also be used in authorizing purchases done from the iTunes Store, iBooks Store and App Store.

System for Quick Authentication

Fingerprint readers, which is a system for quick authentication, offers secured and a convenient security since they rely on something which is difficult to hack on your personal information. Besides it is faster and more secured than a four digit passcode and the fingerprint sensor is gaining traction as the latest proof of identity.

The Apples’ Touch ID is placed in the spaced reserved for the plastic Home button in a range of integrated technologies to provide swift, biometric recognition. Created from steel capacitive ring, image sensor, sapphire lens and secure enclave, the Touch ID is dependent on a range of components which work in harmony to provide the authentication process.

The silver ring seen around each Touch ID is a capacitive sensor designed to detect when the finger is present and the silver ring activates the rest of the Touch ID assembly and saves the battery life by making sure it is not `on’ always.

Functions Like Scanner

The Touch ID functions like a scanner used for scanning photographs. Protected by layers of durable and the sapphire glass, the image of the fingerprint is aimed directly on the Touch ID sensor which is only 170 microns thin with slightly thicker than human hair and can scan the image at 500ppi, higher than the 326ppi resolution of iPhone 6 screen.

After the scanning, a high definition image is taken which is temporarily stored in secure enclave for analysis. On measuring the features of the fingerprint, like the sub dermal ridge flow angles the process then identifies the fundamental aspects which make the fingerprint unique thus producing a unique key.

When the unique fingerprint data is collected the mathematical representation of the scan remains which is stored and encrypted without the identity on the iDevice which cannot be used anywhere.

Each time the phone is unlocked, the scanning process is repeated and the fingerprint is analysed and if the data key generated tallies with the one that is already stored on the iDevice, the handset gets unlocked. At the time of processing payment with Apple Pay, successful fingerprint match results in the device autofilling the stored keychain information whenever needed.