End-to-end security architecture for biometric fingerprint authentication

Gemalto, Fingerprint Cards, Precise Biometrics and STMicroelectronics this week introduced the first end-to-end security architecture for biometric fingerprint authentication at Mobile World Congress 2016, offering OEMs the opportunity to easily deploy this feature in the latest generation of wearable and consumer electronics devices.

The proof-of-concept replaces conventional username/password authentication for applications such as payment, eTicketing, digital access and two-factor strong authentication with swift and secure fingerprint recognition. The companies will demonstrate the architecture on a smart watch that embeds a fingerprint sensor from Fingerprint Cards, fingerprint software from Precise Biometrics and a secure NFC solution and low-power microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics.

Gemalto provides the UpTeq eSE, on which the user’s credentials are stored, plus the match-on-card application that validates the fingerprint placed on the sensor corresponds to the biometric data of the user. The company supplies a rich array of secure applications and the Allynis Trusted Services Hub (TSH), responsible for managing the solution over the entire product life cycle.

Fingerprint Cards delivers state-of-the-art touch fingerprint sensors with very low power consumption and compact form factor. Precise Biometrics provides fingerprint software based on Precise BioMatch Embedded, an algorithm solution that offers convenient and secure fingerprint recognition for products with small fingerprint sensors on limited platforms, such as smart cards, wearables, cars, locks and personal identification tokens.

STMicroelectronics provides its ST54 system-in-package solution, composed of an ST21NFC near-field communication (NFC) controller and an ST33 embedded Secure Element based on 32-bit ARM SecurCore SC300, hosting the Gemalto Biometrics match-on-card. ST also provides an STM32 ARM Cortex-M based low-power microcontroller managing the application.

The architecture spells an end to the complexity of having to remember numerous username and password combinations. It will also offer opportunities to the consumer electronics market to implement secure authentication solutions based on FIDO Alliance’s specification and give consumer electronics manufacturers the option to differentiate from the competition.