New finger print ID system for websites that means you don't need to remember every online password
The secure system uses your fingerprint to access your online accounts With the average person having at least five online accounts it can be a struggle to remember all of the usernames and passwords.
But now there is a solution - access to all your security codes at the touch of a fingertip.
A new system, FingerID, uses fingerprint technology to automatically insert the correct password for whichever site you visit.
It will be a godsend for people who use the same or similar passwords to get round having to remember so many.
This practise tends to leave them vulnerable to hackers which was demonstrated a few days ago when media firm Gawker had more than 1.3million passwords stolen.
It then urged subscribers to change their passwords because of fears that people will have used the same code on other sites, such as online banking.
Once you have registered with FingerID all you have to do is input your existing usernames and passwords for each of your online accounts, then scan your fingerprint.
Each time you want to access your accounts after that just touch your fingerprint into the system and all the information will be saved for you so you will never need to worry about remembering them again.
The system, developed by Southampton University student Sara Alotaibi as part of her Masters degree, could help protect against online fraud and identity theft.
Her service, which was trialled on 100 people, has since had commercial interest and experts say it could go live in within months making her millions.
Miss Alotaibi said: 'The service makes it possible for users to maintain multiple online accounts using a scan of their fingerprint as a password.
'It will allow internet users to authenticate their identity in a hassle-free manner and go about theiractivities in a secure environment without the fear of loss of identity and money.'
To develop FingerID, Miss Alotaibi, who is originally from Saudi Arabia, evaluated existing online password systems and found most were not secure as we think.
Most people tend to use the same or similar usernames and passwords for all over their online accounts and so the risk of being hacked is high.
Using fingerprint readers, which can be bought for around £40, she developed a system to replace memorised passwords with fingerprint data meaning online accounts can be accessed without inputting information over and over again.
Miss Alotaibi's tutor Dr David Argles, of the university's School of Electronics and Computer Science said: 'The problem is loads of us use the same username and password for a number of different sites and there are all sorts of ways a hacker can easily crack them.
'Certain websites are very silly in doing things like emailing passwords. That's like sticking information on a public notice board.
'Sara's system enables people to manage all their accounts from her site which will remember all the passwords for you.
'This makes life easier for people who may struggle with their memory or can't always see the computer screen that clearly, so sites like Facebook,Twitter, emails and online banking can be accessed at the touch of a finger.
'This could put an end to forgetting passwords and usernames and getting frozen out of our online accounts, and has the potential to help stop online fraud.'
In future research Miss Alotaibi, who is shortly due to start a PhD, will look at using other aspects of authentication such as palm prints and face gestures.
