How to Integrate Fingerprint Scanners with Web Applications?
The majority of vendors of biometric devices provide APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) so that programmers can connect their unique apps with biometric scanners. With the use of APIs, developers may access and incorporate hardware or services into their solution without having to start from scratch. For example, SecuGen Web API, Aware’s Next Fingerprint, etc.
These exclusive APIs are typically created for a certain product line that the manufacturer offers, so they are incompatible with products under other brands. The user agent (in the case of a web application, the browser) and biometric hardware (such as fingerprint, face, iris, and other biometric readers/scanners) can communicate with each other thanks to these APIs, which include specialised code and instructions.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the FIDO Alliance announced the achievement of a significant standards milestone in April 2018. It is anticipated that the new WebAuthn standard would result in more reliable yet straightforward web authentication. WebAuthn outlines how online apps can perform user authentication and access and use biometric devices (along with other forms of authentication).
The Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Alliance submitted WebAuthn to the W3C, a public industry group that develops authentication standards. Major companies like Google, Paypal, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Qualcomm support this standard.
Web browsers and associated web platform infrastructure can use the standard web API defined by WebAuthn. Users can utilise new authentication techniques on the web, in their browsers, and on various websites and devices.
With WebAuthn, users can use public key cryptographic-based biometric authenticators like voice, fingerprint, USB token, YubiKey, etc. as alternatives to password-based authentication environments.
Major web browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox will soon be able to login into online accounts using fingerprint scanners, voice authentication, facial recognition, and other biometric technologies without the use of any additional software, according to a separate W3C announcement.
How does Web Authentication Function?
Web authentication is compatible with various industry standards including FIDO 2.0 Client to Authenticator Protocol 2 and Credential Management Level 1. During registration, the authenticator generates a fresh set of public-key credentials. The relying party's challenge can be signed using this new set of public-key credentials. The public portion of these new credentials can be returned to the relying party for storage together with the signed challenge. When necessary, the relying party can later utilise these credentials to confirm a user's identity.
Final Thoughts
With the additional tools and SDKs that M2SYS has to offer, integrating a fingerprint scanner with a web application is simpler than ever. The right SDK for proper integration is the first issue that engineers working on a biometric project struggle with. Without a suitable integration, the project will produce subpar performance and ultimately fail to achieve its goals.
Engineers must also take into account the client application's development environment when looking for the right SDK. Particularly when it comes to integrating a fingerprint scanner with a web application, not all SDKs fully support all languages. This results in a great deal of hassle, the waste of valuable time, and ultimately the failure of the project.
To relieve the pressure on the engineers and make it simple to integrate a fingerprint scanner with a web application, M2SYS has created a specific SDK for this. The two unique solutions go by the name sBio-Plugin™ and CloudScanr™. These multimodal biometric SDKs, which have won awards, can truly assist any type of engineer in integrating a fingerprint scanner with a web application.
