Fingerprint support on Linux

[d1900 4]

Just bought a Lenovo laptop with a fingerprint reader that works great for logging in. I would love to be able to use it for Enpass!

Happy to be a beta tester or work with the engineers to develop the feature (I'm a programmer)

[Garima Singh 112]

Hey @d1900

Thanks for using Enpass and writing to us.

We really appreciate you for exploring the app and giving time in finding this valuable suggestion. The suggestion has been noted and forwarded to the development team for further consideration.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Eugen Beugen 2]

+1 (Ubuntu 20.04)

Edited October 25, 2020 by Eugen Beugen
added distro

[pilou 0]

Hello,

I'm using Xubuntu 18 (a distro based on Ubuntu with XFCE), and I'm interested by fingerprint reader too. A few reader are supported by linux, you may look at fprintf project:

https://fprint.freedesktop.org/

I'm looking for such USB reader, the only one that seems well suported is the Eikon mini USB:

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/libfprint/libfprint/-/issues/260

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007P5J4H8

In parallel, I'm using for years a password keeper, first I used Keepass, an when I switched to Linux a year ago, I used KeepassXC.

For convenience, I would rather want to use a fingerprint reader instead of a password for unlock my password database, but KeepassXC doesn't allow it.

I looked for free alternative that can use a fingerprint reader to unlock database, but I didn't find it. Only Enpass seems to be native on linux and (?) can use a fingerprint reader.

So my question is:

Can Enpass is able to be used with a -working- fingerprint reader on linux ?

Usually I try to use free software in priority, but if Enpass works as I expect I'm ready to buy a perpetual licence

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

Pascal

[Pratyush Sharma 115]

Hi @pilou,

Thanks for using Enpass and writing to us.

I have already created a feature request for the same. It's already in our roadmap for future versions.

Thanks for your co-operation.

[pilou 0]

On 11/22/2020 at 4:11 PM, pilou said:

Hello,

(...) few reader are supported by linux, you may look at fprintf project:

https://fprint.freedesktop.org/

(...)

Can Enpass is able to be used with a -working- fingerprint reader on linux ?

Usually I try to use free software in priority, but if Enpass works as I expect I'm ready to buy a perpetual licence

Thanks a lot in advance.

Hello everybody,

I hope you're doing well, especially in theses troubled days due to the Covid pandemic...

Since my last message here, I saw new versions of Enpass has been released. How about working finger print reader on linux ?

Thanks a lot in advance, and God bless you.

Pascal

[Garima Singh 112]

Hey @pilou

We appreciate for your continuous effort in helping us with the suggestions for improvement. We have taken a note of your feedback and we might implement such in the future versions of the app.

[Solomon 3]

On 11/22/2020 at 9:11 AM, pilou said:

Hello,

I'm using Xubuntu 18 (a distro based on Ubuntu with XFCE), and I'm interested by fingerprint reader too. A few reader are supported by linux, you may look at fprintf project:

https://fprint.freedesktop.org/

I'm looking for such USB reader, the only one that seems well suported is the Eikon mini USB:

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/libfprint/libfprint/-/issues/260

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007P5J4H8

In parallel, I'm using for years a password keeper, first I used Keepass, an when I switched to Linux a year ago, I used KeepassXC.

For convenience, I would rather want to use a fingerprint reader instead of a password for unlock my password database, but KeepassXC doesn't allow it.

I looked for free alternative that can use a fingerprint reader to unlock database, but I didn't find it. Only Enpass seems to be native on linux and (?) can use a fingerprint reader.

So my question is:

Can Enpass is able to be used with a -working- fingerprint reader on linux ?

Usually I try to use free software in priority, but if Enpass works as I expect I'm ready to buy a perpetual licence

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

Pascal

I just wanted to chime in as a technically savvy user to note that fingerprint reading is in mobile using simple secure apis while desktop platforms don't have such.

On iPhone and Android the biometrics API doesn't just read your fingerprint, it's connected to a secure crypto chip (slightly oversimplified terminology for those more familiar), this chip processes the finger prints and unlocks crypto keys when they match. The chip itself is designed to never directly unlock crypto keys otherwise and to even be tamper resistant (ie. if someone tries to physically access the chip it wipes itself).

However, on desktop environments the fingerprint readers largely just read fingerprints. While this can verify your identity, a fingerprint alone can not be used for encryption.

You pretty much have 2 ways about this on desktop environments:

* Dedicated security hardware (a reader that's set up like the mobile readers)
* You have to store the database key unencrypted (or effectively unencrypted)

A good relatively easy middle ground might be to make a feature for Enpass to unlock via only a keyfile? Doing this you could use a biometric usb drive (they don't act as a fingerprint reader for the computer usually and instead use a reader to enable access to the drive contents)