VFS7500 Touch Fingerprint Sensor with Debian 11 Bullseye

This short note shows how to install the software driver for the Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS7500 Touch Fingerprint Sensor which can be found in Lenovo's T460s, T470s and many other laptops.

1. Check your fingerprint sensor:

   $ lsusb
   ...
   Bus 001 Device 005: ID 138a:0090 Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS7500 Touch Fingerprint Sensor
   ...
   

   Go on, if you see the above entry.

2. Add apt sources for the libfprint for Validity Fingerprint 0090 : Marco Trevisan (Treviño) PPA:

   sudo cat > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/libfprint-vfs0090.list << EOF
   deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/3v1n0/libfprint-vfs0090/ubuntu focal main
   deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/3v1n0/libfprint-vfs0090/ubuntu focal main
   EOF
   

3. Add the repository key: 1024R/BE6CFC9508199102F68B6F683166F0E44FB01EAB

   sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys BE6CFC9508199102F68B6F683166F0E44FB01EAB
   

   Expected result:

   Executing: /tmp/apt-key-gpghome.Piy92LFlVS/gpg.1.sh --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com
   --recv-keys BE6CFC9508199102F68B6F683166F0E44FB01EAB
   gpg: key 3166F0E44FB01EAB: public key "Launchpad PPA for Marco Trevisan (Treviño)" importe
   
   gpg: Total number processed: 1
   gpg:               imported: 1
   

4. Install the package:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install libfprint-2-tod-vfs0090 libpam-fprintd
   sudo apt-mark hold libfprint-2-tod-vfs0090
   

5. Reboot

   sudo reboot
   

6. Scan your fingerprint:

   sudo  fprintd-enroll
   
   Using device /net/reactivated/Fprint/Device/0
   Enrolling right-index-finger finger.
   Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
   Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
   Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
   Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
   Enroll result: enroll-completed