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India To Add Facial Authentication For Its Aadhaar Card Security (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the tussle-continues dept.

India will build facial recognition into its national identity card in addition to fingerprints after a series of breaches in the world's biggest biometric identification programme, the government said on Monday. From a report: A local newspaper reported this month that access to the "Aadhaar" database which has identity details of more than 1 billion citizens was being sold for just $8 on social media. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which issues the identity cards, said it would add face recognition software as an additional layer of security from July. Card holders will be required to match their photographs with that stored in the data base for authentication in addition to fingerprints and iris scans, the agency said in a statement.

20 comments

  1. Aardvark Security? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's next? Sea turtle security?

    1. Re:Aardvark Security? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, all the way down.

  2. They add complexity to try to secure these systems by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    In reality, they are simply making them more and more easily infiltrated and hacked. In the future, you will able to be anyone, and get information on anyone.

  3. India offended massive id database valued only 8$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Decided to add information to make it more valuable.

  4. The complete biometric package $9,99 by volodymyrbiryuk · · Score: 5, Funny

    It will get hacked again. And then what? They'll add a stool sample authentication layer? They will be running out of biometric attibutes soon.

    --
    sudo rm -r -f --no-preserve-root /
    1. Re: The complete biometric package $9,99 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's a simple solution: the Goatse biometric scan is unhackable and completely criminal proof.

    2. Re:The complete biometric package $9,99 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Males: Please submit semen sample here.
      Females: Please submit vaginal secretion sample here.
      ???: Please submit non-sexual/bi-sexual/quasi-sexual/hyper-sexual related fluid sample here.

    3. Re:The complete biometric package $9,99 by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      I don't know who thought faces are a great authentication tool. Faces are not unique on a level usable as practical authentication, and they can change (makeup, facial hair, etc). In other news today there's a Google app to find someone who looks as much like you as possible from a database of paintings and other art. So, on one hand, there's a fun app to find things that look just like you, and on the other is a group of people trying to make faces authentication. It's a stupid idea from the first time it was suggested until now. In that first meeting, all someone had to say was "but what about twins?" or "but what if my wife changes her makeup?" or "but what if I shave?" Which is it - is it going to be so secure that it can distinguish two twins apart, or is it going to be flexible enough to allow changes to one's appearance? Because it can't be both, and if it's so secure that it can reliably detect any one person all the time, then it's going to be inflexible if that person's appearance has changed in any way. "I can't get into my car unless I take my makeup off."

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    4. Re:The complete biometric package $9,99 by volodymyrbiryuk · · Score: 1

      You are talking about faces I am talking about feces buddy. They might look the same for some people but they are not.

      --
      sudo rm -r -f --no-preserve-root /
  5. One billion faces will probably increase the value by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Eom

  6. Overkill by nospam007 · · Score: 2

    "match their photographs with that stored in the data base for authentication in addition to fingerprints and iris scans"

    IOW you'll never get on a plane again or get your money from the bank.

  7. I don't ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... recognize that face. But I've seen that butt squatting in a field numerous times.

  8. So adding another column in the database by Beeftopia · · Score: 1

    So... adding another column in the database is going to make this more secure, how?

    If an intruder... already has the value they want to match...ssn, fingerprint, drivers license... giving them another BLOB field helps security how?

    Wow.

    It's like I noted in the "Using computers for elections" thread - these systems are very easy to conceive of, but very hard to implement. And the devil's in the details.

  9. I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If their facial recognition is using this implementation

    1. Re:I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If their facial recognition is using this implementation

      That solution is only to be exported to America

  10. Dear Governments and Corporations of the World, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What part of, "You cannot use digital biometrics for security or authentication" are you having difficulty understanding?

    These systems have already been hacked and their worthlessness has already been proven. We've already seen in works of fiction like "Minority Report" that digital biometrics will not deter criminals; they will resort to removing fingers and eyes from victims to commit identity theft. Use of biometric-based security systems puts your innocent citizens and/or employees at risk of unspeakable violence.

    Biometrics are not reliable as human beings are always changing. People age. They sometimes suffer accidents which also change or remove their biometrics. You cannot depend on them.

    I'll say it again to be perfectly clear: You cannot use digital biometrics for security or authentication.

  11. Re:They add complexity to try to secure these syst by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    After they add facial and complete hand authentication, even the database will be able to digitally facepalm a billion times over how stupid this is.

  12. Re:They add complexity to try to secure these syst by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

    Realizing the importance of the case, my men are rounding up twice the usual number of biometrics.