The official drivers are labeled Broadcom USH w/ Swipe Sensor . Without these, the device appears as an unknown peripheral in Device Manager.
+-------------------------------------------------------+ | Windows Operating System | +--------------------------+----------------------------+ | (Dell ControlVault Software Layer) | v +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Broadcom Unified Security Hub (USH) | +--------------------------+----------------------------+ | +------------------+------------------+ | | v v [Swipe Fingerprint Sensor] [Smart Card Reader] broadcom ush w swipe sensor e6420
In 2011, this was considered a high-security feature. Today, it is less secure than modern alternatives. Swipe sensors create a lower-resolution image compared to modern capacitive or ultrasonic sensors. While sufficient for keeping casual snoops out of a laptop, it lacks the sophistication of modern biometrics. The official drivers are labeled Broadcom USH w/
The Broadcom USH swipe sensor on the Dell Latitude E6420 represents a transitional moment in biometric security—between the experimental early-2000s ThinkPad sensors and the seamless modern fingerprint readers. While it offers little practical value on a 2026 laptop (except for retro computing purists or offline Windows 7 builds), understanding it provides insight into how unified security chips paved the way for today’s Windows Hello and Apple Touch ID. Today, it is less secure than modern alternatives
Unless you have a specific corporate mandate requiring biometric login, skip setting this up. Stick to a strong password or a modern USB fingerprint reader if biometrics are a must.