# vfs495-driver: a Linux driver from fingerprint-reader protocol research

> vfs495-driver implements a Linux libfprint TOD driver for the Validity VFS495 swipe fingerprint reader. Its documented research traces the sensor's USB handshake, encrypted command and image streams, and firmware patch setup; a build recipe extracts required command data from the user's HP SoftPaq download.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Firmware · Protocol
- Category: Independent reconstruction cases
- Relationship: Independent reconstruction project
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-08
- Original resource: <https://github.com/Ahmad-b1995/vfs495-driver>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/Ahmad-b1995/vfs495-driver/blob/a30ad91b81f56fc1681c9346b2d0103b97c0d277/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/vfs495-driver-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/vfs495-driver-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/vfs495-driver-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** A Validity VFS495 reader with USB ID 138a:003f and libfprint with TOD support are required.
- **Prerequisites:** The build downloads HP SoftPaq sp84530 to extract setup commands and firmware patches; the repository does not contain that data.
- **Testing evidence:** The author reports testing on one HP ZBook 17 G3 with Ubuntu 25.10 and 26.04; other sensor variants may need different patches.
- **License:** LGPL-2.1-or-later license.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/Ahmad-b1995/vfs495-driver/blob/a30ad91b81f56fc1681c9346b2d0103b97c0d277/README.md>

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## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.