What is Biometrics?: A Look Into the Future in Technology

Biometrics, as it relates to Information Technology, is the measurement and analysis of human attributes or characteristics for use in authentication purposes. This form of authentication looks at a given feature of the human body such as fingerprints, eyes, voice, face, and even hands and uses the information it receives from the scan of a to identify patterns and/or characteristics. It then takes certain information from the scan and compares it to a database of previously recorded data from individuals that have had their biometric information recorded and registered with the system. Biometrical authentication provides the users that are being authenticated an easy way to be recognized. They do not have to remember passwords or carry keys with them. All the user needs is their physical being to authenticate with the system. In doing this, the chances of false authentication are reduced, especially in more confined areas such as a server room door within a company building using a finger print scanner to authenticate.

PROBLEMS

Although biometric authentication systems can be highly accurate, they are also prone to flaws. Just like any other system, it is nearly impossible to keep people out completely. There are a several issues surrounding the use of biometrics. Mainly the possibility of falsely authenticating, which can be done in more than one way, raises concerns with identity theft. With some systems it is possible to use a copy of a fingerprint or eye to fool the scanner. If the scanner believes that the actual user is being authenticated and allows the scan to pass then it could possible grant someone access to sensitive personal information and they could do damage to someone’s personal life or data. Another method to falsely authenticate as another person would be to somehow interfere with connection between the scanner and the host system. If successful a hacker could change an authentication failure to a successful authentication thereby using their own biometrical features to access another user’s account.

When a biometrical system is implemented it is crucial to make sure the authentication is accurate so that personal information is not compromised. The uniqueness of the authenticating feature should be a tell tale sign that the person trying to authenticate is who they say they are and give them full access to their information across multiple systems. If an authenticating feature is stolen then someone could gain access to not only personal information as mentioned before but banking information, work information, and also background information because this singly feature is supposed to be unique to one person and one person alone.