Consumers using PayPal to complete an e-commerce transaction on a Lenovo laptop computer will be able to use an embedded fingerprint reader instead of a static password.
Lenovo, Intel, Synaptics and PayPal have collaborated to incorporate biometric authentication through the Fast IDentity Online Alliance certified solution for use of fingerprints. All of the companies are FIDO Alliance members, with PayPal and Lenovo among its founders.
PayPal is no stranger to fingerprint authentication, supporting that FIDO-enabled security method through Samsung's
“Security has always been a priority for PayPal, and we are committed to offering our customers secure, password-less authentication options leveraging FIDO standards," Bill Scott, vice president for identity product and engineering at PayPal, said in a Sept. 23 press release.
The FIDO Alliance has worked the past four years to develop authentication methods that would eliminate the use of static passwords or PINs as the only ways to access devices. It recently has pushed to support new authentication methods for
“Passwords are a universal problem that is not limited to mobile devices," Brett McDowell, executive director of the FIDO Alliance, said in the release. "Every Internet connected device needs the ability to upgrade to simpler, stronger FIDO authentication and thanks to this partnership, the desktop ecosystem is on an accelerated path to get the same FIDO capabilities already well established across the mobile ecosystem.”
Those using the technology will sign in to the PC by touching a fingerprint reader. Other layers of security from Intel software and Synaptics sensors protect the fingerprint information and the user's FIDO credentials from ever leaving the device.
The fingerprint biometric technology will initially be available on the Lenovo Yoga 910 convertible laptops.
