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Biometric Hardware and Software for Mac OS X?

Posted by Cliff on from the validation-by-body dept.

yummyporkproducts asks: "After spotting this story on MacSlash, I was wondering if anyone had actually written or ported any software for Mac OS X that allows the use of off-the shelf biometric hardware, like this pc card."

7 of 16 comments (clear)

  1. there's a retinal scanner by mrpuffypants · · Score: 5, Funny

    it's called the iEye

    however, usage of it does not need to be followed by the word "captain"

    (if you dont find this funny then i'm sorry its 3am =[

    1. Re:there's a retinal scanner by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hate to tell you this, dude, but it was 4AM.

      Hope your day's going alright.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
  2. Macs not used much by the govt by Knife_Edge · · Score: 2, Informative

    I would guess that biometric stuff would be hard to find for Apple computers because they are not used much by the government. Despite all the news of biometrics being tested for commercial uses, the government is still the largest purchaser by far of biometric technology and thus pretty much dictates what is going to to be developed.

  3. Re:I believe not by nuckin+futs · · Score: 2

    but a "man pam" in the terminal reveals this :
    Linux-PAM - Pluggable Authentication Modules for Linux
    ...there exist hardware based authentication schemes (such as the use of smart-cards and biometric devices), with suitable modules, these may be substituted seamlessly for more standard approaches to authentication - such is the flexibility of Linux-PAM.
    so if there is something that exists in Linux, maybe it could be ported to OS X in no time.

  4. my mac has biometrics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    It has what's called a "planar discrete carpal actuator surface", where a sequence of downward motions with the fingers can insert a stream of bytes into the current application.

    Different users will have different byte streams, thereby gaining or denying access to the application.

    Quite sophisticated (except when the cat walks on it).

    I also have a "planar continuous motion registration unit", which I'll talk about next week.

  5. Mod parent down by goombah99 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Parent poster is speaking through his hat. Nasa, and the national labs use tons of macs and also have high needs for biometric security. THis is a fact.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  6. It's just PAM by mac-diddy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    OS X has support for PAM built in, so if you have hardware that runs on OS X and a PAM module to access it, it will "work" on OS X. The problem is, Apple's LoginWindow use of PAM is broken in 10.2.2 (I've not had a chance to try it on 10.2.3) Without a LoginWindow that is PAM aware, there is really no point of using an authentication method beyond what Apple provides.