Researchers at Clarkson University have found it is trivially easy to spoof some of the current biometric security systems that use a finger or thumb print as an identification mechanism. They found that making a mold of a fingerprint using modeling clay (e.g. Play Doh) was effective 90% of the time in fooling the hardware.
However, they are developing new systems that measure perspiration found on the fingers as an additional parameter. This would stop someone from using a finger from a cadaver or from a mold as a way of gaining access.
Good news, sort of. But you have to wonder why the vendors that make these systems did not bother to test them with this kind of spoofing. My guess--in some cases, much of the design and engineering work was outsourced, meaning there was less "big picture" thinking about the problem and possible security attacks. For IT companies, outsourcing the design and engineering of the core product line may save money up front, but it carries big risks down the line when goofs like this come to light.