Biometric Scanner Uses Your Veins

Remember that scene in National Treasure where Nicolas Cage pulls a thumb print off Diane Kruger's champagne glass and uses it to get into the super-secret room housing the Declaration of Independence? If not, rent it tonight and take a look.

So, is that really possible or is it just one of those movie-inspired myths? Unfortunately for security vendors, it's pretty close to the truth.

A study at Clarkson University revealed that fingerprint scanners were fooled 90% of the time by fake fingerprints created from gelatin, dental plaster, or even Play-Doh! Another option is for a thief to just cut one of your fingers off and use it on the scanner.

So should you care about this high-tech biometrics stuff? What does this have to do with your life? Well, the Albertsons grocery store chain has recently implemented a biometric finger scan for payment and identification in some stores and both Wal-Mart and Costco are supposedly discussing doing the same thing.

Before there's wide-spread adoption, hopefully these security questions will be resolved. One company trying to do that is Luminetx. They recently patented their vein scanner (designed initially for medical purposes) for use in biometric scans. Evidently your vein layout is extremely unique and can't be faked or bypassed (so far).
Whether it's your finger, eyeball, or arm, get ready for high-tech features at your local grocery or big box store. They're coming.