Better security for Aadhaar fingerprint authentication in place

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has implemented a new two-factor authentication mechanism for Aadhaar fingerprint biometrics. The machine learning-based security system combines finger minutiae and finger image capture to check the liveness of a fingerprint.

According to the UIDAI, this process makes Aadhaar authentication for transactions more secure.

“The new two-factor/layer authentication is adding add-on checks to validate the genuineness (liveness) of the fingerprint so as to further cut down the chances of spoofing,” according to a UIDAI statement.

The UIDAI added the new security feature to its AePS system last September to allow for more-secure withdrawals.

In its 2022 fiscal report, the Reserve Bank of India said that 1.1 billion cash withdrawals totaling 3 trillion Indian rupees (US$37.5 billion) were executed using the AePS system.

While a government official said this total amounted to about .005 percent, the official wanted to eliminate all fraud.

The added biometric security is a significant development for sectors like banking, financial services, telecom and government.

“It shall also benefit the bottom of the pyramid as it will further strengthen the Aadhaar-enabled payment system and curb malicious attempts by unscrupulous elements,” according to the UIDAI statement.

While the UIDAI says it took months of dialogue and hands-on guidance to set up the new Aadhaar fingerprint authentication security, the transition from single-factor to two-factor authentication has been well-received.

“By the end of December 2022, the cumulative number of Aadhaar authentication transactions had crossed 88.29 billion and clocking an average per day transactions of 70 million,” adds the UIDAI. “A majority of them are fingerprint-based authentications, indicative of its usage and utility in daily lives.”

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  biometric authentication  |  biometric liveness detection  |  biometrics  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  fraud prevention  |  India  |  two-factor authentication  |  UIDAI