[XCSSA] finger computer

[xcssa@xcssa.org]

Going through really old unread email.

On 1/4/06, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org <xcssa-admin@xcssa.org> wrote:
> 1.  It's Knoppix on a thumb drive.  Nice that they're pre-packaging
> it, but you can replicate it yourself with less money and half an
> hour of work.

Not for the BIO device (fingerprint reader and LCD panel)...
or do you know of a USB drive with LCD panel
with DIY instructions on using the same?

You'd at least need to have some microcontroller
for checking the fingerprint... obviously if you want
the security to be independent of the machine it's
plugged into.

> You can get a higher level of security by
> just encrypting your files on the drive and using a long passphrase.

Sort of.  Then you'd have to leave boot/root unencrypted, so
it could be trojaned while not in your possession.

I've been intending to make a boot CD that has enough software
to decrypt a hard drive and pivot root over to it...

> Either you need to swipe your finger at
> exactly the same speed every time you access it, or it's very
> forgiving in its fingerprint analysis.

Not necessarily... after all, it's just like the method used by
an optical mouse to detect how quickly you're moving it...

> Plus, how many
> computers are built with USB ports that are situated in such a way
> that you can easily plug in a drive and swipe your fingerprint across
> it?

It's not clear to me it has to be plugged in to authenticate,
but the answer to your question is "anywhere that it's
convenient to plug in a USB device anyway".   That is,
systems with front-panel connectors.
-- 
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Unix "guru" for rent or hire -><- http://www.lightconsulting.com/~travis/
GPG fingerprint: 9D3F 395A DAC5 5CCC 9066  151D 0A6B 4098 0C55 1484