<p>Biometrics deals with identifying individuals with help of their biological data. Fingerprint scanning is the most common method of the biometric methods available today. The security of fingerprint scanners has however been questioned and previous studies have shown that fingerprint scanners can be fooled with artificial fingerprints, i.e. copies of real fingerprints. The fingerprint recognition systems are evolving and this study will discuss the situation of today. </p><p>Two approaches have been used to find out how good fingerprint recognition systems are in distinguishing between live fingers and artificial clones. The first approach is a literature study, while the second consists of experiments. </p><p>A literature study of liveness detection in fingerprint recognition systems has been performed. A description of different liveness detection methods is presented and discussed. Methods requiring extra hardware use temperature, pulse, blood pressure, electric resistance, etc., and methods using already existent information in the system use skin deformation, pores, perspiration, etc. </p><p>The experiments focus on making artificial fingerprints in gelatin from a latent fingerprint. Nine different systems were tested at the CeBIT trade fair in Germany and all were deceived. Three other different systems were put up against more extensive tests with three different subjects. All systems werecircumvented with all subjects'artificial fingerprints, but with varying results. The results are analyzed and discussed, partly with help of the A/R value defined in this report.</p>

Biometrics deals with identifying individuals with help of their biological data. Fingerprint scanning is the most common method of the biometric methods available today. The security of fingerprint scanners has however been questioned and previous studies have shown that fingerprint scanners can be fooled with artificial fingerprints, i.e. copies of real fingerprints. The fingerprint recognition systems are evolving and this study will discuss the situation of today. Two approaches have been used to find out how good fingerprint recognition systems are in distinguishing between live fingers and artificial clones. The first approach is a literature study, while the second consists of experiments. A literature study of liveness detection in fingerprint recognition systems has been performed. A description of different liveness detection methods is presented and discussed. Methods requiring extra hardware use temperature, pulse, blood pressure, electric resistance, etc., and methods using already existent information in the system use skin deformation, pores, perspiration, etc. The experiments focus on making artificial fingerprints in gelatin from a latent fingerprint. Nine different systems were tested at the CeBIT trade fair in Germany and all were deceived. Three other different systems were put up against more extensive tests with three different subjects. All systems werecircumvented with all subjects'artificial fingerprints, but with varying results. The results are analyzed and discussed, partly with help of the A/R value defined in this report.

<p>Verification of users’ identities are normally carried out via PIN-codes or ID- cards. Biometric identification, identification of unique body features, offers an alternative solution to these methods. </p><p>Fingerprint scanning is the most common biometric identification method used today. It uses a simple and quick method of identification and has therefore been favored instead of other biometric identification methods such as retina scan or signature verification. </p><p>In this report biometric security systems have been evaluated based on fingerprint scanners. The evaluation method focuses on copies of real fingers, artificial fingers, as intrusion method but it also mentions currently used algorithms for identification and strengths and weaknesses in hardware solutions used. </p><p>The artificial fingers used in the evaluation were made of gelatin, as it resembles the surface of human skin in ways of moisture, electric resistance and texture. Artificial fingers were based on ten subjects whose real fingers and artificial counterpart were tested on three different fingerprint scanners. All scanners tested accepted artificial fingers as substitutes for real fingers. Results varied between users and scanners but the artificial fingers were accepted between about one forth and half of the times. </p><p>Techniques used in image enhancement, minutiae analysis and pattern matching are analyzed. Normalization, binarization, quality markup and low pass filtering are described within image enhancement. In minutiae analysis connectivity numbers, point identification and skeletonization (thinning algorithms) are analyzed. Within pattern matching, direction field analysis and principal component analysis are described. Finally combinations of both minutiae analysis and pattern matching, hybrid models, are mentioned. </p><p>Based on experiments made and analysis of used techniques a recommendation for future use and development of fingerprint scanners is made.</p>

Verification of users’ identities are normally carried out via PIN-codes or ID- cards. Biometric identification, identification of unique body features, offers an alternative solution to these methods. Fingerprint scanning is the most common biometric identification method used today. It uses a simple and quick method of identification and has therefore been favored instead of other biometric identification methods such as retina scan or signature verification. In this report biometric security systems have been evaluated based on fingerprint scanners. The evaluation method focuses on copies of real fingers, artificial fingers, as intrusion method but it also mentions currently used algorithms for identification and strengths and weaknesses in hardware solutions used. The artificial fingers used in the evaluation were made of gelatin, as it resembles the surface of human skin in ways of moisture, electric resistance and texture. Artificial fingers were based on ten subjects whose real fingers and artificial counterpart were tested on three different fingerprint scanners. All scanners tested accepted artificial fingers as substitutes for real fingers. Results varied between users and scanners but the artificial fingers were accepted between about one forth and half of the times. Techniques used in image enhancement, minutiae analysis and pattern matching are analyzed. Normalization, binarization, quality markup and low pass filtering are described within image enhancement. In minutiae analysis connectivity numbers, point identification and skeletonization (thinning algorithms) are analyzed. Within pattern matching, direction field analysis and principal component analysis are described. Finally combinations of both minutiae analysis and pattern matching, hybrid models, are mentioned. Based on experiments made and analysis of used techniques a recommendation for future use and development of fingerprint scanners is made.