The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has implemented a new security feature for Aadhaar based fingerprint authentication and faster detection of spoofing attempts, utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning technology.

The in-house developed mechanism uses a combination of both finger minutia and finger image to check the liveness of the finger print captured.

The mechanism is set to make Aadhaar authentication transactions even more robust and secure.

The new two factor/layer authentication is adding add-on checks to validate the genuineness (liveness) of the fingerprint so as to further cut down the chances of spoofing attempts, the Ministry of Electronics and IT said in a release on Monday (27 February).

This new two-factor authentication will benefit banking, financial, telecom, and government sectors, as well as the bottom of the pyramid, as it will strengthen the Aadhaar enabled payment system and prevent malicious activities.

The roll out and migration of the mechanism happened after months of discussion and hand holding by UIDAI of its partners and user agencies, the ministry said.

A constant engagement and due diligence of UIDAI with authentication user agencies (AUAs) were carried out to impress upon AUAs/ Sub AUAs about the benefit of the new modalities.

AUA is an entity engaged in providing Aadhaar enabled services to Aadhaar number holders using the authentication as facilitated by the authentication service agency.

Sub AUAs are agencies that use Aadhaar authentication to enable its services through an existing requesting entity.  

"With the new system in place, only finger image or only finger minutiae based Aadhaar authentication has given way to the robust two factor authentication – a win-win for all stake holders," the ministry said.

The UIDAI head office and its regional offices are in touch with all entities for facilitating any user agency (that may not have migrated yet) to switch over to the new secured authentication mode at the earliest, it added.