Distributed Biometric Template Reconstruction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biometric systems fail to efficiently transfer and verify a user's identity across different devices, requiring users to reauthenticate and reestablish trust, which is inconvenient and insecure.
Innovation Solution
A distributed biometric template system where a user's biometric template is split into portions and shared among trusted devices and a remote storage service, allowing for secure reconstruction and verification on new devices using live identity information and a private key generation component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If biometric information is securely stored on a user's device, then security and privacy are improved, but the ability to transfer identity to new devices is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The biometric template is divided into multiple portions and distributed across different devices in the user's trusted circle. Each device stores only a fragment, making it impossible to reconstruct the full template without multiple devices collaborating. This segmentation enables secure transfer to new devices while maintaining security, as no single device holds the complete biometric information.
Solution Approach 2:
A distributed network of trusted devices acts as an intermediary between the user and the biometric verification system. When transferring to a new device, the system coordinates with multiple trusted devices to verify identity and reconstruct the biometric template, enabling secure transfer without centralized storage.
2Device complexity
If biometric information is stored centrally on one device, then reconstruction is simplified, but the system becomes vulnerable to single points of failure and loss
Solution Approach 1:
The biometric template is split into multiple portions distributed across different devices. This eliminates the single point of failure problem, as the system remains available as long as at least two trusted devices are accessible. The distributed architecture improves reliability while maintaining reconstruction capability through coordinated access to multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential device loss or failure by pre-distributing biometric template portions across multiple trusted devices. This cushioning against future failures ensures that even if one device is lost or compromised, the identity information remains secure and recoverable through other trusted devices.
3Productivity
If the complete biometric template is transferred to a new device, then authentication speed is improved, but security is worsened due to increased attack surface
Solution Approach 1:
The biometric template portions are distributed across multiple devices rather than transferred completely to one new device. This maintains security by ensuring that no single device holds the complete template, reducing the attack surface. Authentication speed is maintained through optimized coordination and verification processes across the distributed devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A biometric template created at a user device is divided into portions that are distributed among members of a trusted circle and, optionally, a remote storage service. When the user associated with the biometric template attempts to reauthenticate on a different user device, live identity information is captured and transmitted to trusted circle members. The members confirm the identity of the user and provide the biometric template portions to the different device for reconstruction of the original template. The user can then biometrically reauthenticate using the reconstructed template.