A method of on-line authentication includes having a user present one or more
fingerprints
for authentication during an on-line transaction, such as an Internet transaction.
The user provides the fingerprints by placing the appropriate finger on the print
pad of the fingerprint reader associated with the client computer that the user
is using. The method includes receiving through the computer network a communication
indicating that authentication is needed, obtaining a first number that indicates
how many fingerprints will be requested for authentication, randomly selecting
which fingerprints will be requested, sending through the computer network one
or more requests for entry of the randomly selected fingerprints, receiving fingerprint
data through the computer network in response to the one or more requests for entry
of the randomly selected fingerprints, and comparing the received fingerprint data
to fingerprint data stored in a database.