Your Thoughts Are Your Password

Vitaly Friedman writes "Scientists hope that mind-reading computers will one day replace typed passwords, making fingerprint readers and retina scans obsolete. Skeptics say don't count on it. From the article: 'Researchers at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, are exploring the possibility of a biometric security device that will use a person's thoughts to authenticate her or his identity. Their idea of utilizing brain-wave signatures as pass-thoughts is based on the premise that brain waves are unique to each individual. Some researchers believe the difference might just be enough to create a system that allows you to log in with your thoughts.'"

Your rights online??????

[technoextreme]

Did someone just skim the article and think that someone thought you can read your thoughts?? Did someone instantl think of 1984?? That's not what they are suggesting. It's just a gage to the reaction to certain stimuli like how people react to the color red. Aparently everyone's reaction is different.

The biggest problem with biometrics is ...

[El Cubano]

that once the digital representation is compromised, it is not possible to generate a new biometric. AIUI, every biometric device translates the chosen bioetric into some digital representation (after all, everything is just 1's and 0's to a computer). If this is compromissed, you are sunk. I suppose that precautions, like salting and other things to prevent a replay attack, could help. But in the end, if my passowrd is compromised, I can set a new one. If my eyeball's digital representation is compromised, then I can't generate a new eyeball.

Re:boobies

[Anonymous Coward]

Dude, there is no "password" in this system. Your brain patterns are the identifier. Your "password" would essentially be that daydream where you start giving Angelina Jolie a shoulder massage and start slowly working your way downward. And then she turns around and purrs that linux geeks are her secret fetish fantasy and she won't tell anyone if you don't. And just above the time that you lean towards each other and are about to kiss, that'll be when your ID is verified and you get logged into the system.

Re:First Thought password

[Thaelon]

This is also true with voice recgonition software.

The more frustrated you get, the farther from normal your voice becomes, and the less accurate the speech recognition matches. Which makes you more frustrated...