How does TouchID know the decryption password?

BruceTTT

When TouchID is enabled, the data can be decrypted without the master password. How is this possible if the password or a hash is used to encrypt the data like most encryption software?

Jacob

Hey @BruceTTT! Great question. I would recommend reading this section of the Touch ID FAQ: https://support.1password.com/touch-id-faq/#is-it-safe-to-use-touch-id-instead-of-my-master-password- Hope that helps!

thightower

Hello @BruceTTT

Here is some reading material you may wish to peruse.

The topics below may answer your questions, at any rate its a good place to start. If you still have questions please post back so the staff can help answer your questions.

https://support.1password.com/touch-id-faq/
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204587

MikeT

Hi @BruceTTT,

As others have presented you with useful information that will explain how this work, the short answer to your question is that we put a scrambled version of your master password in the secure iOS keychain that's locked behind your fingerprint database, which is stored in the secure hardware enclave of your iPhone. We ask Touch ID (iOS handles this) to verify your fingerprint(s) and if we get a yes, we get into the keychain to retrieve your scrambled password to unlock the database.