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Biometrics

Biometrics uses physiological characteristics to identify individuals and can be used for identification or verification. Identification involves comparing an individual to a database of known users, while verification confirms someone's claimed identity. Biometrics has advantages like increased security over passwords and convenience for users but also disadvantages like potential privacy violations and systems not working for all users.

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Abbey Johnson
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14 views

Biometrics

Biometrics uses physiological characteristics to identify individuals and can be used for identification or verification. Identification involves comparing an individual to a database of known users, while verification confirms someone's claimed identity. Biometrics has advantages like increased security over passwords and convenience for users but also disadvantages like potential privacy violations and systems not working for all users.

Uploaded by

Abbey Johnson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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"Biometrics" means "life measurement" but the term is usually associated with the use of unique physiological characteristics

to identify an individual. The application which most people associate with biometrics is security. The method of identification based on biometric characteristics is preferred over traditional passwords and PIN based methods for various reasons such as: The person to be identified is required to be physically present at the time-ofidentification. Identification based on biometric techniques obviates the need to remember a password or carry a token. A biometric system is essentially a pattern recognition system which makes a personal identification by determining the authenticity of a specific physiological or behavioral characteristic possessed by the user. Biometric technologies are thus defined as the "automated methods of identifying or authenticating the identity of a living person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic".

A biometric system can be either an 'identification' system or a 'verification' (authentication) system, which are defined below. Identification - One to Many: Biometrics can be used to determine a person's identity even without his knowledge or consent. For example, scanning a crowd with a camera and using face recognition technology, one can determine matches against a known database. Verification - One to One: Biometrics can also be used to verify a person's identity. For example, one can grant physical access to a secure area in a building by using finger scans or can grant access to a bank account at an ATM by using retinal scan.

Advantages

Reduces cost within organizations: eliminates passwords which are expensive to maintain and secure Increase security: eliminates the sharing of passwords, deters and detects fraudulent account access, and improves physical security. Competitive advantage: applications demand advanced technology Convenience to employees: passwords tend to be overwhelming, biometrics eliminates the need to memorize or reset passwords, while speeding up login Non-repudiation: transactions are difficult to negate
Diadvantages

Accuracy of Performance: most systems are suitable for verification only because false acceptance rates are too high Failure to enroll rate: biometrics is not usable to all users, specifically the visually impaired, or those missing digits Information Abuse May violate privacy

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