Employer is requiring biometric data for clocking on, can I refuse?

fini said:
Could you clarify why you actually have a problem with it.
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Because it is uneccesary.

I know that you've said you don't trust companies to hold such data, but what are you actually worried about happening?
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Identity fraud for starters, the more personal data that is out there the more chance there is for it to happen, I understand that some data has to be made available otherwise life cannot be lived, but at some point a choice has to be made as how much information one is comfortable with being made available to third parties and for what reasons. If I was working for the MOD, MI5, Police or any other organisation that had security in mind when requiring my fingerprint data I would have no issue with it, but just so they can log when I clock on and off is over the top in my opinion, a pin number or password would work just as well.
 
Le_Petit_Lapin said:
Why do you care where your biometric "fingerprint" data goes?
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Perhaps because unlike all other data, say bank account details, home address, legal name etc - its impossible to change your biometric details?

I know I'd be very unhappy about this. A token authentication system should be more than enough, with some sensible checks it can be pretty much foolproof.
 
But we have to ask ourselves what can be taken from a biometric fingerprint. It is not an image of your finger, it is more a refereance of the minutiae are on your finger. I doubt anyone could actually do anything with that data.

If I was on my laptop Id upload the hex database entry of my fingerprint scan.

Its very hard to practically circumvent a fingerprint recognition system, regardless of the data a malory has.

Id say you are at a much bigger risk of having your card cloned and not covering your PIN number, or having your computer hacked.
 
Dano said:
Identity fraud for starters,
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Could you explain how you think that would happen? The data stored is just a series of encrypted points, effectively working as a public key. Without your actual finger (the private key, so to speak), the data is useless. The weakest point in the chain is actually the possibility of someone physically making a copy of your fingerprint from where you've just touched the fingerprint reader itself - so watch out for people dusting it down!
 
fini said:
Could you explain how you think that would happen? The data stored is just a series of encrypted points, effectively working as a public key. Without your actual finger (the private key, so to speak), the data is useless. The weakest point in the chain is actually the possibility of someone physically making a copy of your fingerprint from where you've just touched the fingerprint reader itself - so watch out for people dusting it down!
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You've taken that out of context, please re-read the entire post.
 
Go to the Morgue and chop someone's finger off, keep it in a box and use that to clock in/out, problem solved :)
 
PiKe said:
Go to the Morgue and chop someone's finger off, keep it in a box and use that to clock in/out, problem solved :)
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Funny you should say that, a lot of fingerprint scanners (the optical ones anyway) have a pulse sensor in them to make sure it is a real, living finger being used.
 
Dano said:
You've taken that out of context, please re-read the entire post.
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Hi Dano, I've just re-read your post and agree with fino - you could send me the fingerprint data and I'd be able to do absolutely nothing nefarious with it - it's impossible to derive a fingerprint from the biometric representation.
 
You have 2 choices... stop being awkward for the sake of being awkward, or go find another job! :rolleyes: . It's really no more difficult than that!
 
If it's just a fingerprint for a scanner, then I don't really see it as a problem. It also depends on whether they keep the fingerprint, or just a hash of it.
 
Am I the only one who doesn't care? It's a fingerprint. Unless my fingerprint could be used for something financially, or to get into my home, I wouldn't worry at all. So say someone sells your fingerprint. What are they gonna do, create an artificial finger print and sign you out of work?
 
There was a massive fuss about biometric registrations being implemented in australian schools recently. I'm not sure what happened with it though..

I'm in the same boat.. I'd be a bit iffy with the whole fingerprint thing tbh.. it just seems a little bit invasive, while not being an obvious problem/inconvenience. Its kind of like ID cards.. i can't put my finger on it :p

edit: what if (consider this scenario) the OP one day became a suspect for a crime that could be proved by obtaining his fingerprint after he'd been involved in a horrific accident in which he lost the finger in question? Would the finger print (digital copy) be protected then?
 
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Dano said:
:rolleyes:
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I think you need to take a step back and look at yourself. You are in the VAST minority of people who would complain about a simple fingerprint and you have yet to come up with a better reason than "because I don't like it" or other ramblings about being paranoid about what they will do with it, despite the fact you have been told they can't do anything with it.

Get. A. Grip.
 
St0rmer66 said:
I think you need to take a step back and look at yourself. You are in the VAST minority of people who would complain about a simple fingerprint and you have yet to come up with a better reason than "because I don't like it" or other ramblings about being paranoid about what they will do with it, despite the fact you have been told they can't do anything with it.

Get. A. Grip.
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You need to learn how to read, my opening post would be a good start as it addressed every point you made in your reply.
 
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