Intel, Synaptics, PayPal Combine on Biometrics Authentication System for Laptops

Intel, Lenovo, Synaptics and PayPal are collaborating on an authentication system for consumer and enterprise laptops, they said in a Friday announcement. Lenovo customers will be able to authenticate to online FIDO- (Fast ID Online) enabled services such as PayPal by using a fingerprint rather than a password, said the companies. Intel’s 7th Gen Core processors with Software Guard Extensions are the foundation for the hardware-protected biometric authentication, and Synaptics’ Natural ID fingerprint sensor is said to offer enterprise-level security with TLS 1.2 encryption, including anti-spoofing algorithms. The goal is to reduce fraud and increase security through “nearly frictionless” hardware-based biometrics, said the companies. Users today have to remember myriad passwords for different accounts, PC log-in, email and online shopping, said Johnson Jia, senior vice president-Lenovo PC and smart device business group, saying the collaboration will change that with a simple authentication solution.