Using artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has created a new security feature for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and quicker detection of spoofing attempts.
The internal system tests the liveness of the captured finger print by combining finger minutia and finger picture.
The system is designed to increase the reliability and security of Aadhaar authentication transactions.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT stated in a release on Monday that the new two factor/layer authentication is implementing add-on tests to authenticate the validity (liveness) of the fingerprint in order to significantly reduce the risks of spoofing efforts (27 February).
This new two-factor authentication will enhance the Aadhaar-enabled payment system and thwart harmful actions, which will help the banking, financial, telecom, and government sectors as well as the bottom of the pyramid.
According to the government, the rollout and migration of the mechanism came about following months of negotiations and support from UIDAI’s partners and user agencies.
UIDAI continually engaged and exercised due diligence with authentication user agencies (AUAs) to persuade AUAs and Sub AUAs of the advantages of the new modalities.
AUA is a company that uses the authentication made possible by the authentication service agency to offer Aadhaar-enabled services to Aadhaar number holders. Sub AUAs are organizations that enable their services through an already-existing requesting entity using Aadhaar authentication.
The robust two factor authentication has replaced only finger image or only finger minutiae based Aadhaar authentication, according to the ministry. This is a win-win situation for all parties involved.
In order to assist any user agency (that may not have migrated yet) in switching over to the new protected authentication method as soon as possible, the UIDAI head office and its regional offices are in contact with all entities, it was stated.
