Chapter 1. Getting Started with the GNOME Desktop / 1.20. Using the Fingerprint Reader | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1.19. Controlling Sound | 1.21. Obtaining Software Updates |  | |
Chapter 1. Getting Started with the GNOME Desktop / 1.20. Using the Fingerprint Reader | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.19. Controlling Sound | 1.21. Obtaining Software Updates | | |
With the ThinkFinger driver, openSUSEŽ supports the fingerprint reader by UPEK/SGS Thomson Microelectronics included with some IBM and Lenovo ThinkPads. The same fingerprint reader can also be found in other laptops and either as a stand-alone device or built into some USB keyboards. For more details, refer to http://thinkfinger.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/*checkout*/thinkfinger/README.in. After registering their fingerprint, users can log in to the system either by swiping a finger on the fingerprint reader or by typing in a password.
If the hardware check detects the fingerprint reader
integrated with your laptop (or connected to your system), the
packages libthinkfinger
and pam_thinkfinger are
automatically installed. Use the command line tool
tf-tool to register or verify a fingerprint for
various users. root permission is required for this. The
PAM module pam_thinkfinger supports user
authentication by fingerprint for the following applications and
actions (although you might not be prompted to swipe your finger in
all cases):
Logging in to GDM or a login shell
Unlocking your screen on the GNOME desktop
Starting YaST and the YaST modules in the GNOME control center
Starting an application with root permission:
sudo or gnomesu
Changing to a different user identity with
su or
su - username
Fingerprints can either be registered with YaST or from the command line. This section contains instructions on registering fingerprints from the command line. Currently, only one fingerprint per user can be registered.
For more detailed information about configuring and using fingerprint authentication, see Using_Fingerprint_Authentication.
Open a shell and log in as root.
Run tf-tool --help to
view the available options.
To register a fingerprint for a certain user, enter
tf-tool--add-userlogin
tf-tool prompts the user to swipe a
finger until three readable fingerprints have been gathered. The
user's fingerprint data is then stored to
/etc/pam_thinkfinger/.login.bir
If you want to use fingerprint authentication for starting
YaST or the YaST modules in the GNOME control
center, register a fingerprint for root, too.
To verify an existing fingerprint for a certain user, enter
tf-tool--verify-userlogin
Let the user swipe a finger. tf-tool compares the fingerprint to the print stored for this user and provides a message if the fingerprints match.
As soon as the user's fingerprint has been successfully registered, the user can choose to authenticate with either fingerprint or password.
To remove a user's fingerprint, delete the appropriate
fingerprint file for this user:
/etc/pam_thinkfinger/.login.bir
With tf-tool --acquire
you can do a test run with tf-tool. The
fingerprint is stored as /tmp/test.bir and
can be verified with
tf-tool --verify.
Find the project home page at http://thinkfinger.sourceforge.net/
For more technical details, refer to
/usr/share/doc/packages/libthinkfinger/README
in your installed system.
There are also man pages available for pam_thinkfinger and tf-tool.
