asked 2017-08-16 15:47:36 +0300
Hi, I want to know whether a phone with a fingerprint sensor can be used to record and send fingerprints (in some format) to a web-service. Android does not allow one to do so (only one fingerprint - of the owner can be validated). My use case involves validating fingerprints from multiple people. Can someone point me to the developer documentation for the fingerprint sensor on sailfish?
answered 2018-09-10 10:52:46 +0300
Short version: Getting access to actual fingerprint scanner data in "usable form" would be a bug, not a desirable feature.
The assumption is that underlying code (android fingerprint hal) follows the android requirements for accessing / processing / storing biometric data, something like: Acquisition and processing is done in hw protected secure environment. Only identifiers are visible outside secure environment. If data is stored in accessible location, it is encrypted in a way that makes it unusable except in the device where it was recorded.
Some more info at: https://together.jolla.com/question/184613/saving-your-fingerprint-to-a-networked-mobile-device-has-to-be-a-bad-idea/
Thus "sailfish-fpd" deals with fingerprint identifiers only, and by design does not need / want to know any details beyond that.
Also note that "fpslave" does not change any of that. It just bridges a gap at: A 32 bit sailfish application (sailfish-fpd) can't use libhybris to access 64 bit android libraries (android fp hal) -> Using a separate process allows it to be compiled as a native 64 bit android binary when necessary.
answered 2018-09-08 12:09:49 +0300
I cannot give an answer on the issue directly. But I found out that the implementation below is oss: https://github.com/mer-hybris/droid-config-f5121/commit/aa4119d38b6c90fc4e68eef43d82379b6c9c190a
I found out that fingerprint api works like this: sailfish-fpd -> sailfish-fpd-slave. That slave is device or vendor specific.
I looks like implementing a oss slave for sony devices at least should be possible.
answered 2017-08-16 15:49:43 +0300
Fingerprint API isn't ready yet for public usage.
True, but the implementation was quite hacky so it's not open for other developers and will change in the future when more devices with a fingerprint sensor will be running Sailfish OS.
Source: Collaboration meeting (don't know which one anymore)
Dylan Van Assche ( 2017-08-16 18:34:40 +0300 )editanswered 2018-06-09 22:48:32 +0300
I'm reviving this thread now that fingerprint is officially supported on Sony X devices. Is there an API yet? Will there be one? I'd like to add fingerprint check to some of my apps for "fast unlock" if soft-locked on minimize-sleep.
then please modify/edit the original question instead of adding non-answers here
Spam Hunter ( 2018-06-10 09:23:34 +0300 )editAsked: 2017-08-16 15:47:36 +0300
Seen: 1,749 times
Last updated: Sep 10 '18
This will be a huge security issue. I will never use a phoneOS that allow something like this trough API or any other mean ...
tvicol ( 2017-08-16 19:19:12 +0300 )editOf course it can be done; when the fingerprint is scanned it exists as an image in device memory before being processed, even if the image is deleted after processing it to generate the hash or whatever from the data.
There is nothing in Android that could prevent it, if whoever wrote the software wanted to upload the fingerprint to some external database.
juiceme ( 2018-09-08 13:57:39 +0300 )edit