UIDAI successfully rolls out new security mechanism for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication

The new two-factor or layer authentication is adding add-on checks to validate the genuineness (liveness) of the fingerprint

PGurus Newsdesk

February 28, 2023

The new two-factor or layer authentication is adding add-on checks to validate the genuineness (liveness) of the fingerprint

UIDAI rolls out new security mechanism for faster detection of spoofing attempts

Under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has successfully rolled out a new security mechanism for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and faster detection of spoofing attempts.

The new two-factor or layer authentication adds add-on checks to validate the genuineness (liveness) of the fingerprint so as to further cut down the chances of spoofing attempts.

The artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI and ML) based security mechanism developed in-house is now using a combination of both finger minutia and finger image to check the liveness of the fingerprint captured.

This is making Aadhaar authentication transactions even more robust and secure, official sources said.

The move will be of immense use in segments including banking and financials, telecom, and government sectors. Sources added it shall also benefit the bottom of the pyramid as it will further strengthen the Aadhaar-enabled payment system and curb malicious attempts by unscrupulous elements.

The new security mechanism for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication has now become fully functional. The rollout and migration happened after months of discussion and hand-holding by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) of its partners and user agencies.

A constant engagement and due diligence of UIDAI with authentication user agencies (AUAs) were carried out to impress upon AUAs and sub-AUAs about the benefit of the new modalities, an official statement said.

AUA is an entity engaged in providing Aadhaar-enabled services to Aadhaar number holders using authentication as facilitated by the authentication service agency. Sub-AUAs are agencies that use Aadhaar authentication to enable their services through an existing requesting entity.

With the new system in place, only finger image or only finger minutiae-based Aadhaar authentication has given way to robust two-factor authentication.

By the end of December 2022, the cumulative number of Aadhaar authentication transactions had crossed 88.29 billion and clocking an average per day transactions of 70 million.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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