Hot Topic: Biometric Technologies - Industrial Strength?

This is a précis of a detailed article on biometric technologies which appears on the Cambashi website. Follow this link to access the full version of Biometric Technologies.

Biometrics can best be described as the use of technology to measure physiological characteristics that are intrinsic to human beings. Its primary use is in unique, personal identification.

In identifying people there are two principle questions that may be asked:

Who are you? Yes, I know who you are / No, you are a stranger.
(Otherwise known as one in many matching)
Are you who you claim to be? Yes, I can confirm that / No, you are an impostor.
(Otherwise known as one to one matching)

Before deciding on a preferred identification mechanism, there are attributes which must be considered such as:

Ease of enrolment
User acceptance
Accuracy (number of false accepts and false rejects)
Speed of processing
Data template size

Indeed, there are numerous methods of identification including hand and fingerprint analysis, retinal and iris scanning, signature, voice and facial recognition. Within each of these mechanisms, there is the question of application. For identification purposes (one in many) there obviously needs to be a central database of identity templates. For verification applications, (one to one) you can choose to have a central database, or indeed to provide candidates with a physical token (e.g. smart card) containing their template which is verified without the need for central database access.

Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses. Some are more suited to verification and others to identification. In some cases a combination of technologies and inclusion of traditional tokens (or passwords) are used. Each technology suffers from some level of accuracy limitation - often due to technology or environment, but more often due to the scope for variation in the characteristic presented. Examples of these include dirty or damaged fingerprints, tiredness in the voice etc.

To date, most of the high profile pilot projects for the use of biometrics have been in two areas - government identity documents, passport control, and financial transactions.

Business is rightly concerned about physical and logical security, emanating from both internal and external threats. Employees represent an easily defined and influenced closed user group; biometric technology can be readily used not only for verification, but also for identification.

In companies, where accuracy, security and simplicity are of utmost importance, use of biometrics can control access to restricted facilities and monitor attributes such as time and attendance. In this area it assists by ensuring that false record attendance and misuse of authorisation is minimised

Public acceptance remains somewhat of a challenge. This is particularly true in large scale open implementations such as ID cards and passports. However within the boundaries of a corporate implementation, which may include an extended family of sub-contractors and suppliers, this is much easier to manage. Indeed with planning and due consideration of the effect on operational procedures, biometrics are eminently suited to the technology kit bag of every organisation's security infrastructure.

Steven Heard

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