Linux Fingerprint and/or Biometric support

Feature Requests Password Manager
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1

Feature name

  • Linux fingerprint vault quick unlock, or biometric unlock in general [1]. (After master password is entered on the first login)

I understand Linux desktop landscape is as fragmented as ever, no Windows Hello or Apple Touch ID equivalent to make integration streamlined. Finally, the user base count is minuscule.

However, I’d argue Linux users will 99% use Bitwarden over any other proprietary password manager.

Can BW Desktop and future browser extension also support Linux, for at least fingerprint?

Fingerprint authentication recently get enough attention that Gnome [3] and KDE [4] has it built-in for login.
Most if not all of Linux fingerprint integration probably use libfprintf [2] so they all share same driver and API. It’s nice we have some semblance of streamlined authentication in Linux.

There is nodejs libprint here GitHub - no2chem/node-libfprint, but looks unmaintained.

libprintf also has a PAM module, I see a lot of authenticating module like PolicyKit can use PAM transparently. I’m not sure how the JS-based WebApp can access the PAM module, though. Alternatively, you can do it a la KeePass via binary specific plugins.

Feature function

  • Quick unlock of vault with fingerprint. (After master password is entered on the first login)
  • Integrates with system native biometric/fingerprint database.

Related topics + references

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That is my number 1 request for BW at the moment.

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1300 views…

Is the linux PAM module not the equivalent to Windows Hello or Apple Touch ID. I think that is not the problem.

I think rather the cost of programming. However, I think it is very important that BitWarden fully supports some distributions like Ubuntu in the future.

Biometric support on Ubuntu would be awesome and totally fits BitWarden. I wish this feature very much, especially since under Linux many more fingerprint readers are supported sustainably.

@tgreer is there a chance to get some feedback for this fr. I watch this topic since january. Just some inforamtiosn in first place would be nice…

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@LessOrNothing thanks for the ping. This is absolutely a captured request, but not on any dev timeline at the moment.

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@tgeer any news on this topic? :slight_smile:

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This feature is the only thing preventing me from using the product.

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Plugins and Linux app have checkboxes for biometric support, but it doesn’t work, correct?

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Yeah, because reading from fprintd is not supported yet :slight_smile:

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No further updates at the moment, but thanks to everyone for keeping this thread alive! :partying_face:

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Absolutely would love to see this. I’ve started using Ubuntu a lot more for my main machine (getting tired of MS getting worse than Google), and while having a PIN unlock is a bit more convenient, I’d love to see a fingerprint unlock that I’m used to via Windows Hello. It’d also be nice to see it not require the desktop app too, similar to Dashlane.

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Really hope to this feature soon. This is the last puzzle for me and a huge plus against the other password-manager out there. Could be a cool SAF.

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Would love to have this feature on Linux !

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Yeah! this feature would make Bitwarden perfect matching my desires!

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Likewise, I would like to have this feature. I just set up PAM with a biometric key and it’s fantastic, to see it in Bitwarden would be great.

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I just setup Howdy(GitHub - boltgolt/howdy: 🛡️ Windows Hello™ style facial authentication for Linux), and it’s amazing. If bitwarden supports unlock with sudo password, it may be compatible with howdy directly.

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I second that Howdy is an amazing project. thanks @GeekSquirrel for recommending it.

Fingerprint biometrics would be a great start as well.

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That’s would be very nice. A fingerprint for a password manager is a must-have feature in my opinion.
I would be very excited about it because Linux is best and Bitwarder is best (with fingerprint linux support :slight_smile: .

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This would be a killer feature for the Linux desktop. It’s really needed

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Just writing here to voice my support for this feature.

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I created account to vote for this feature. Would be glad to have such option.

3 Likes