Biometric Authentication - Role in Modern Privacy Issues
Biometric Authentication – Role in Modern Privacy Issues Invasion of privacy of data is an ongoing theme in the progressively advanced technological world., Whether it is pictures in your cellphone, financial transactions through your bank account or copyright information on your laptop; frauds, cons, and deceptions are on the rise and so is personal verification technology to counter it. The areas where authentication tools are now required include areas such as airports, banking, law, judiciary, mobiles, and medicine. It is slowly gaining acceptance in our day to day life as well. What is Biometric Authentication? There are three types of authentication tools available: The first is based on something you know like a password and a security question. The second is based on a specific object you own such as a smart card and RFID chip. The third is based on biometric authentication. Biometric Authentication tools are systems that use distinctive and inimitable biological features of individuals for their identification and authentication. It is easy to use, you cannot forget it and is highly personalized and secure. How it works is, the system captures data of the person to be identified, like a fingerprint, retina scan, and voice recording, and compares it with a pre-defined data set of the individual to be authorized. If the two data sets match, authentication is proven. If not, access, to whatever is being guarded is denied. Types of Biometric Authentication The types of biometric authentication tools are various. There are as many tools available as there are different body functions in a human being. Some of them include, DNA matching; Ear matching based on the shape of the earlobe; iris scan; retina scan; face recognition; fingerprint recognition - yes, the same old method used by the detectives, only digitized for the modern era; Gait or identifying a person based on the way he or she walks; Odor - Yes!!! Identifying a person based on the odor he or she emits!; Signature based; and finally, voice based recognition. So, which is the best method? The characteristics of an effective biometric authentication tool are: The data captured (from an individual, for authentication purpose) should not undergo any change as the person ages over the years. The data captured should be adequate to distinctively recognize and authenticate a person. The data capture process should be simple and should be possible through inexpensive machinery which gives the results instantaneously. Let's see which of these characteristics, fit the various biometric authentication tools. #1 Signature: It is a match based on a study of the strokes and pressure applied while putting one's sign. However, it can be duplicated, or can change over a lifetime. #2 Voice Recognition: Voice biometrics can be used to authenticate individuals, but tape recordings remain a concern for safety. #3 Retina or Iris Scanning: In the case of a retina scan, the match is done based on the pattern of blood vessels in the eye. In the case of an iris scan, the match is based on patterns formed inside pupil of the eye. It is impossible to duplicate either. However, the scanning process is complicated and takes time for authentication. #4 Facial recognition: Facial recognition is done by comparing the distance between certain prominent features on the face of an individual. The data thus collected is good enough to identify individuals uniquely. The technology is widely used (including in social media platforms.) The data collection can be done with the help of a simple digital camera. The best part is that it is the least intrusive method on this list. #5 Fingerprint Identification: It has got to be one of the most commonly used and most effective authentication technologies. Even during the early days of banking technology, the left index finger used to be regularly pressed into an ink pad and applied on paper. This was replaced by the pen and signature as the sign was considered unique, only to be replaced back by fingerprint scanners. Are they any good? Let's see – Fingerprints remain constant throughout life; Never have two fingerprints of two different people matched ever in the history of matching fingerprints! That is because each fingerprint contains an infinitesimally large number of edges or points and channels or grooves. The wide usage in smartphones, banks, ATMs, attendance marking machines and the simplicity of the machines itself qualifies this as one of the best tools. Endnote After all this analysis, it is worthwhile to say that multifactor authentication is always better than using one method of identification and as technology evolves, different methods could become better than current ones.
Read More