USB Fingerprint reader [Windows Hello might make this easier for us but no promises]

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RaiderRoss
RaiderRoss
Community Member
edited August 2015 in 1Password 4 for Windows

Newbie to 1Password. I loaded it on IOS and the fingerprint scan works great on both my iPhone and iPad Air2. I am wondering if there is a specific (tested/approved/etc...) USB fingerprint reader I can add to my Windows PC so I can use the capability there as well. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

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  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    As far as I know, 1Password currently does not support fingerprint readers on Windows, OS X, or Android.

    (iOS is different in that the reader is part of the standard hardware, and reader support is built into the operating system.)

  • RaiderRoss
    RaiderRoss
    Community Member
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    That is unfortunate. Consider this an 'official' feature request. Biometrics should be included by default.

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    PCs and Macs don't have built-in fingerprint readers or OS-level support for them, so that would be an odd default setting to choose.

    I'll add it to the list of requested features immediately, though.

    Thanks for letting us know it would be useful to you!

  • vv6
    vv6
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    I am in the process of choosing a password manager and would have chosen 1Password if it had support for a Fingerprint Scanner on the desktop. Several of their competitors support Fingerprint Readers. After all 1Password realized the benefits of unlocking using your fingerprint in their iPhone version, but not in the desktop version. That would be great feature to add to the desktop version.

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
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    I've never understood the benefits of fingerprint scanners, especially on mobile devices. If I wanted to rob you, I can now whack you over the head, use your finger to unlock your bank login and hey presto, I can steal all of your money. Unless you're talking about a 2 factor auth system; I can see some merit to that.

  • I like the idea of biometric authentication on my devices, however there are some drawbacks to this beyond the critique that Richard voiced:

    Most fingerprint readers are after-market devices that you have to add to your PC or Mac. The level of integration into the system will never be a deep as Touch ID in iOS. Thus these devices and the software might actually open your machine to attacks if the software can be circumvented, giving an attacker access to your data even without you being present.

    Still, as David said: it's on the feature request list and we'll take a closer look at it :)

  • svondutch
    svondutch
    1Password Alumni
    edited November 2014
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    If I wanted to rob you, I can now whack you over the head

    @RichardPayne‌ http://xkcd.com/538/

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member
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    @svondutch‌ lol, seen that before but it still makes me laugh.

  • XKCD is the best.

  • sadrik
    sadrik
    Community Member
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    I too would like to see fingerprint reader support. I've had fingerprint readers on my laptops for the past 9 years or so, and it is disappointing that 1password doesn't leverage them at all.

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    Thanks for letting us know your preference, @sadrik‌!

  • demeneghi
    demeneghi
    Community Member
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    Si, yo también necesito que sea compatible con lectores biométricos. LastPass es compatible y funciona muy bien, espero que pronto sea posible en 1Password.

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    @demeneghi‌, Google translates that as follows:

    Yes, I also need to be compatible with biometric readers. LastPass supports and works very well, hopefully soon possible in 1Password.

    We never say "never," but I'm not aware of any work being done in that area at this time.

    Thanks for letting us know of your interest!

  • wkleem
    wkleem
    Community Member
    edited December 2014
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    There was a post that I read discussing 1Password and fingerprint readers which I can't locate at the moment. Historically speaking, Agilebits had partnered with Authentec to allow 1Password to use the UPEK USB fingerprint reader. Authentec went with LastPass for password management and it (Authentec) eventually got purchased by Apple in 2012 for their TouchID sensors.

    Please append this discussion to the right message.

  • Drew_AG
    Drew_AG
    1Password Alumni
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    Hi @wkleem,

    I'm sorry but I can't seem to find any discussion about AuthenTec on our forums, aside from this one that you started. Was it a recent discussion? Are you sure it was something you found in these (AgileBits) forums? Or maybe something you read on Apple's support site, or perhaps an old AuthenTec support site?

    Did you have a specific question about 1Password and Touch ID?

  • wkleem
    wkleem
    Community Member
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    Hi

    Not about Authentec/TouchID in particular. There are ongoing discussions about fingerprint scanners with regard to 1Password and USB devices. I thought that I would chime in on the fact that USB scanners (UPEK) used to work with 1Password some years ago. I found something in the forum:

    https://discussions.agilebits.com/discussion/31273/usb-fingerprint-reader

  • Ben
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    Merged. Thanks @wkleem. :)

  • svondutch
    svondutch
    1Password Alumni
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    @wkleem I have been here for several years, but I do not remember a partnership with a finderprint reader. Also, I do not remember that USB scanners used to work with 1Password.

  • wkleem
    wkleem
    Community Member
    edited December 2014
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  • svondutch
    svondutch
    1Password Alumni
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    Wow, 1Password 2 for Mac screen shots :)

  • wkleem
    wkleem
    Community Member
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    @svondutch, It was a long time ago...

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    I've checked with a handful of folks who've been around AgileBits that long, @wkleem, and no one can remember when support was dropped...or even whether it ever got past the "proof of concept" stage.

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    Note: A co-worker pointed me to a couple of forum threads (c. 2011) about support for fingerprint readers in much earlier versions of 1Password for Mac:

  • wkleem
    wkleem
    Community Member
    edited December 2014
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    Better luck next time. I don't know of any other fingerprint scanners as well known as the EIKON. Thanks for the links. At this point, I think I will have to settle for TOTP and 2FA.

  • sxc5324
    sxc5324
    Community Member
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    +1 for fingerprint scanner integration. Many laptops come with these built-in these days. This would make 1password a lot more convenient (quicker than entering a safe, ie: long and complex password) - and IMHO more secure. With keyboard entry there's always the risk of being filmed...

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    Thanks for letting us know that would be useful to you, @sxc5324.

  • svondutch
    svondutch
    1Password Alumni
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    If we want to support a fingerprint scanner (or face recognition), then we would have to store your master password (or your encryption keys) somewhere. On Windows, I do not see how and where we can do this securely. As a matter of fact, I'm a strong believer of NOT storing your master password anywhere -- not even in computer memory.

  • NMO
    NMO
    Community Member
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    It depends on what your priorities are. Mine are to be able to quickly access to my data, and not show my password to people arround me. A bulletproof security is accesory to me. So a fingerprint reader would perfectly do the job.
    However, Upek is not natively supported by 1password, and Protector Suite doesn't support Chrome. Considering I just want to be able to log on to Windows and 1Password, would someone have an USB fingerprint reader to advise?

  • aspink
    aspink
    Community Member
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    The only way it makes sense to store the passwords or encryption keys on the computer would be via a TPM or TPM like device, which given the restrictions in TPM 1.2 would likely require TPM 2.0 with its additional capabilities which isn't currently widely available. But once TPM 2.0 is widely available, it might make sense to utilize it in combination with biometrics as an alternative option in windows and mac.

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
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    Sorry, @NMO—I don't.

    Thanks for that information, @aspink.

This discussion has been closed.