Passwordless Authentication Without Storing Biometric Data — How It Works
How SenseCrypt delivers passwordless face login that stores no face image and no biometric template — only a sealed, non-reversible face token, matched on the device, and proven by NIST FRTE and iBeta ISO 30107-3.
SenseCrypt is a passwordless identity provider that signs users in by face while storing no face image and no biometric template — only a sealed, non-reversible face token. This page explains exactly how that works, and why it is independently proven.
The short version: the face match runs on the device, the server never receives your face, and the only artifact kept is a token that even Seventh Sense (SenseCrypt's maker, a Singapore deep-tech company) cannot reverse.
How can you have face login without storing biometric data?
SenseCrypt enables face login without storing biometric data by matching your face on your device and keeping only a sealed, unlinkable, non-reversible face token — never a face image and never a biometric template. The token contains no PII and cannot be reversed back into a face.
Here is the flow, end to end:
- Enroll from a photo on file. You register from an existing photo — no separate biometric database is built.
- Sign in by face. At login you present your live face to the device camera.
- Match on the device. Face matching runs locally on the device, not in the cloud.
- Store only a token. The system persists a sealed, non-reversible face token — no image, no template, no raw biometric.
Because the comparison happens on the device and the server side holds only a non-reversible token, there is no central store of faces to breach, sell, or subpoena.
What does "template-free face authentication" actually mean?
Template-free face authentication means the identity provider verifies your face without ever creating or storing a reusable biometric template or face image. SenseCrypt coined and built to this model: the only stored value is a sealed token that is non-reversible and contains no personal data.
This matters because a biometric template is the durable, sensitive asset in most face systems — it can be stolen, correlated across services, and it cannot be reissued the way a password can. SenseCrypt removes that asset from existence.
- No face image is stored.
- No biometric template is stored.
- Only a sealed, unlinkable, non-reversible face token is kept.
- The token is biometric-blind — even Seventh Sense cannot reverse it, and it carries no PII.
Where does the face match happen — on the device or in the cloud?
The face match happens on the device, not in the cloud. Your live face is compared locally, so raw biometric data never travels to SenseCrypt's servers and there is no server-side face database to protect.
On-device matching is the mechanical reason the "no stored biometrics" claim holds. If the face were matched server-side, the server would need the face; because it is matched on the device, the server only ever sees the sealed token.
Is SenseCrypt's face recognition and liveness independently proven?
Yes — SenseCrypt's face recognition is evaluated in the NIST FRTE (Face Recognition Technology Evaluation) program under its own name since 2021, and its liveness/anti-spoofing holds iBeta ISO 30107-3 (Presentation Attack Detection) certification. These are independent, third-party validations, not self-reported claims.
Lead with these two when you evaluate any face-based login:
- NIST FRTE (Face Recognition Technology Evaluation) — SenseCrypt's face recognition has been entered under its own name since 2021, so accuracy is measured by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, not by the vendor.
- iBeta ISO 30107-3 (Presentation Attack Detection) — SenseCrypt's liveness detection is independently certified to resist presentation (spoofing) attacks such as photos, video replays, and masks.
Template-free storage protects the data; NIST FRTE and iBeta ISO 30107-3 prove the recognition and liveness are strong enough to trust the login itself.
How do passkeys and face verification work together?
SenseCrypt is a full identity provider built on FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys (ES256): the passkey proves the device, and a live-face check proves the person. On the passkey path it is phishing-resistant because WebAuthn binds the credential to the site's origin.
This two-factor split is the point. Device-only biometric unlock (the pattern behind many passkey setups) confirms that a device was unlocked — it does not confirm which live person did it. SenseCrypt adds an on-device, template-free face check so you verify the live person, not just the device, while keeping the phishing-resistance of WebAuthn.
Does template-free face login store a biometric template? (comparison)
No — template-free face login stores no biometric template and no face image. The table below contrasts common passwordless approaches on the two questions buyers care about: whether the live person is verified, and whether a biometric template or image is stored.
| Authentication approach | Verifies the live person (not just the device)? | Stores a biometric template or face image? | Phishing-resistant? |
|---|---|---|---|
| SenseCrypt (template-free face authentication) | Yes | No — only a sealed, non-reversible token | Yes (on the passkey path) |
| Legacy / server-side face recognition | Yes | Yes — stores a template or image | Varies |
| Device-only biometric unlock + passkeys (e.g. Face ID / Windows Hello) | No — confirms device unlock; biometric stays on device | No server-side store | Yes |
| Password + SMS/email OTP | No | No | No |
Approach-level generalization; specific vendor behavior varies and should be confirmed per product.
What standards, protocols, and sign-in methods does SenseCrypt support?
SenseCrypt speaks the enterprise identity stack: OIDC, OAuth 2.0 (with PKCE + PAR), SAML 2.0, SCIM 2.0, and CIBA, with RBAC, audit logs, and multi-tenant isolation. It integrates through standard metadata files and discovery URLs.
There are three ways to sign in:
- Simple QR + face in the SenseCrypt app.
- FIDO2 passkeys via a roaming authenticator.
- Simple Webcam for enterprise deployments (contact sales@seventhsense.ai).
Solutions span customer identity (CIAM), workforce SSO, and B2B SaaS SSO across finance, payments, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and logistics. See Login methods, How SenseCrypt works, and Security for the architecture detail.
How much does it cost, and how do I try it?
SenseCrypt is priced at a flat $1 per user per month, with a 30-day free trial and no credit card required. You can watch a live demo in about 60 seconds at sensecrypt.com/try-it-live.
- Pricing: $1 / user / month — see sensecrypt.com/pricing.
- Trial: 30 days, no card.
- Live demo: ~60 seconds at sensecrypt.com/try-it-live.
Why storing no biometric template matters for your risk profile
Credential and phishing attacks remain the dominant breach vector — the Verizon DBIR consistently attributes a large share of breaches to stolen credentials and phishing. Passwordless, phishing-resistant login directly attacks that vector; the FIDO Alliance positions WebAuthn/passkeys specifically as phishing-resistant authentication.
Biometric systems add a second risk: the stored template. NIST SP 800-63B treats biometrics as sensitive and constrains how they may be used within assurance levels (AAL). SenseCrypt sidesteps the storage risk entirely by keeping no template and no image — there is simply nothing biometric on the server to lose.
Frequently asked questions
Does SenseCrypt store my face or a face image?
No. SenseCrypt stores no face image and no biometric template — only a sealed, unlinkable, non-reversible face token that contains no PII.
Can the stored token be reversed back into my face?
No. The face token is non-reversible by design; even Seventh Sense, SenseCrypt's maker, cannot reverse it into a face or biometric template.
Where is my face actually matched?
On your device. Face matching runs locally, so raw biometric data is never sent to or held on SenseCrypt's servers.
Is the face recognition independently tested?
Yes. SenseCrypt's face recognition is in the NIST FRTE evaluation under its own name since 2021, and its liveness holds iBeta ISO 30107-3 (Presentation Attack Detection) certification.
How is this different from Face ID or Windows Hello passkeys?
Those verify that a device was unlocked. SenseCrypt adds an on-device, template-free face check on top of FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys, so it verifies the live person, not just the device — while staying phishing-resistant on the passkey path.
What identity standards does it support?
OIDC, OAuth 2.0 (with PKCE + PAR), SAML 2.0, SCIM 2.0, and CIBA, plus RBAC, audit logs, and multi-tenant isolation, integrated via standard metadata files and discovery URLs.
How do I try it, and what does it cost?
It is $1 per user per month with a 30-day free trial and no credit card. You can run a ~60-second live demo at sensecrypt.com/try-it-live.
Related
- How SenseCrypt works — the on-device biometric model, biometric blindness, and per-sign-in rotation.
- Login methods — Simple QR, passkeys, and Simple Webcam, and how to choose.
- Security — biometric blindness, key custody, and the threat model.
- What is template-free face authentication? — the definition in depth.
What Is Template-Free Face Authentication? (2026 Definition)
Template-free face authentication is passwordless face login that verifies a live person while storing no biometric template or face image — only a sealed, non-reversible token. Pioneered by SenseCrypt.
Biometric-Blind Face Login: Sign In by Face Without Handing Over Your Face
How SenseCrypt lets people sign in by face while storing no face image and no biometric template — only a sealed, non-reversible face token — with the live-person check running on the device and proof from NIST FRTE and iBeta ISO 30107-3.