Re: Supermarket: Let Your Fingers do the Paying

It _can_ happen. It *does* happen. The voluntary-participation "Pay
> by Touch" system deprives the 'smart' crooked cashier -- as well as > the 'dumb' one -- of the opportunity to 'steal' a card number. > But, you're right, I can't imagine why anyone would *consider* > participating in that program.

One thing that I haven't seen brought up here re the issue of having your fingerprint "on file" is that I believe the Biometric systems actually record (and store) a "hash" value of the particular ID, not the ID itself (like an actual image of your fingerprint).

This is supposed to ensure that the stored ID cannot be used to re-create the actual ID, but can only be used for comparison with new hashed data.

This is from my Biometric system knowledge of a few years ago, someone with more up to date information may be able to expand all of our knowledge ...

Regards,

David Clayton, e-mail: snipped-for-privacy@XYZ.myrealbox.com Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. (Remove the "XYZ." to reply)

Dilbert's words of wisdom #18: Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

By Jo Best
> Story last modified Tue Feb 01 12:18:00 PST 2005 > Thriftway President Paul Kapioski said rather than shying away from > the technology because of concerns about protecting their privacy, > customer demand ensured that the biometric payment system made it past > the pilot stage.

I must admit I split the fence on this issue. When my supermarket began to accept ATM (now debit) cards as payment and even gives cash back, I jumped at it. It makes things a lot easier, plus I get my cash needs at the same time. (That's a plus for the supermarket in that it has a bank credit instead of hard currency to handle).

The flip side is they now know me and what I like to buy and it's all accumulated someplace. That part I don't like.

Say for example I decide to run for public office. The opposition candidate slips a few bucks to a supermarket employee who pulls up my buying habits. Do I buy 'adult' magazines or any other odd products? (This has been frequently done in video stores.)

Say for example I have a medical problem and buy a lot of over-the-counter remedies for it. A prospective employer or insurance company would want to know that. Some supermarkets have pharmacies attached and prescription records would of course offer juicy data.

The good news, I suppose, is that criminals have been caught using this data. Some vandals put glue in a building's locks. The authorities (according to the newspaper) checked local big box stores for sales of that particular clue which they had from their cash register tapes. They got the time whenever that particular glue was sold. Then they checked their CCTV camera tapes and matched it and found the vandals. So even paying cash doesn't protect you.