Should I blur my fingerprint when I share a picture/scan of a document containing it?

Question

When I share a picture or scan of some document containing my fingerprints, should I blur it? Or is it useless as pictures of fingerprints are of too low resolution to reproduce the original, unique fingerprint?

Answer 1

You may want to blur it out. Fingerprint readers are pretty aggressive at picking up partial prints, and the way fingerprints can be easily forged there's no reason to post them publicly.

However; you need to be aware that fingerprints are not secret. You leave usable prints on every glossy surface you touch, and duplicating them and fooling readers has been demonstrated by amateurs for decades, using several different techniques. Always take care that the fingerprint isn't your only layer of defense. For example, if you have an iPhone with a fingerprint reader, make sure you still require a passcode to access your credit card data or password list. You always want an additional layer of security around your more sensitive data.

The good thing about most fingerprint readers is that they require the attacker to be "local". A foreign hacker can't trick your iPhone into believing his scan of your fingerprint.