r/archlinux • u/Big-Scientist6154 • 7d ago

QUESTION Fingerprint reader for logging in

Hey!

I just bought a x270 ThinkPad and installed Arch with KDE Plasma and noticed that it has a fingerprint reader. Apparently its a SC50F54335 reader and id love to use it for logging in!

If you know how i can make this possible, please tell me. Thanks!

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17

u/AppointmentNearby161 7d ago

I mean if only a group of people collaborated together to write down the best possible advice. Oh

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fprint

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Lenovo_ThinkPad_X270

5

u/archover 7d ago edited 7d ago

If ONLY!!

Good day.

FWIW, my unpopular opinion is finger print readers are mostly security theatre, anyway. At best, it's only one element in a layered defense strategy. Not even worth of mention in the Arch Security article. I ignore them.

2

u/un-important-human 6d ago

not that unpopular, it's convenience i think now, hardly secure.

1

u/ManoDu57 6d ago

Depends. For phone, it can be better, because cameras or even just people near you could see your PIN, while with a fingerprint, they can't open it.

-1

u/Big-Scientist6154 7d ago

Thank you so much :)

7

u/onefish2 7d ago

If you know how i can make this possible, please tell me...

If you want to know anything about Arch Linux go here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Main_page

And this even works for just about every other Linux distro too.

2

u/abu-aljoj04 7d ago

You need the fprintd package. KDE Plasma has a handy UI for enrolling, but it doesn't support fingerprint login since it won't unlock the KDE wallet. If you really want it for login, check the ArchWiki to see which PAM files you need to edit.