data encryption + Biometric security

Knight Walker moko at kobran.org
Thu Feb 1 18:32:54 CET 2007


On Thu, Feb 01, 2007 at 10:11:41AM -0700, Ben Burdette wrote:
> Here are a couple of items for the phone wish list:  data encryption and 
> biometric security.  I'd like the phone to be a secure place for me to 
> store passwords and similar information.  Are there plans to have some 
> security features like this, that would prevent someone from extracting 
> secure data from the phone if it was lost? 

I believe there are encrypted data storage programs available for
OpenEmbedded (I know Opie has ZSafe and I imagine GPE has something
similar), and if for whatever reason there aren't, I'm sure someone will
write one.  I know I personally love having an encrypted text storage
program on my phone (Java) and on my PDA (native), and I wouldn't trust
my private information or that of my employer to something that wasn't.

> Having a fingerprint scanner would be more of a convenience feature so I 
> wouldn't have to enter a password whenever I want use the phone, or 
> alternatively when I want to access encrypted data. 

Personally, after seeing how easily it is for some biometric devices to be
circumvented or fooled, I would rather use a time-tested method like
password entry.  On my current phone, I require a pass code to unlock my
SIM card (As the phone is powered on) and a different one for my encrypted
data store, but not one to use the phone.  I believe this is good middle
ground for security (And besides, I guard my phone jealously).

> Here's a device that has a built in fingerprint scanner, its a debian 
> server that connects to your computer with USB:
> 
> http://www.projectblackdog.com/

Yeah.  Too bad that company is going under. :)

-KW




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