Biometrics as emerging Technology
Introduction:
Biometrics includes, specific human identifiers such as Thump impressions, facial patterns, Iris, palm print, signature and other evidences which distinguishes a person from others. Fingerprints and Iris are more secure as compared to other evidences. We see common day usages such as facial recognition, finger print scanning etc as part of the mobile security.
Bio metrics data are private data and identifiable with a person or individual. For example, a famour personality does not want his personally identifiable information on the public domain.
Since many of these personal data also provide gateway to financial information of an individual or a family, it is such a sensitive data which create reputational, financial and legal implications as a consequence.
Bio metrics information for registering Entry/Exit
Exposure from Traditional methods:
The traditional methods of physical signatures and other evidences had resulted in many identity threats.
In certain countries, a person can have multiple election identity cards and thereby resulting impersonation
Government employees do not visit their offices but drawing salaries with the colusion of higher ups.
A Government employee working in 2 different government offices and drawing 2 salaries for the last several years.
Property documents are forged with signatures and fradulent claims made over properties.
Eventhough there are many identifiers, finger prints are the most commonly used enabler in most of the cases across the countries. Also read the following related articles:
Biometrics classifications:
Bio-metrics can be classified into the following categories,
Device baseed authentication:
The authentication is done by an indvidual in a local device such as mobile phones. The user may be using his facial id or finger prints to access data and information.
Access Tokens:
This may be done in a computer application, to access a Banking, Financial information and to perform transactions, authentications and approvals.
These devices can be called citrix tokens, RSA tokens, OAuth access etc., Some of these tokens uses random number generator or random passwords to secure authentications.
Fingerprints - Ubiquitous identifier globally
IRIS identifiers are used for National Id cards
This argument is somewhat true. But the increasing number of financial transactions over the world wide web also increases the exposure to frauds and malpractices over the net.
For example, large banking transactions can be traced to an individual could result in his potential identify threat and the resulting exposure over the net.
Similarly, the entire Bid coins transactions are done over the net, the any potential loss of data could result in huge losses to indviduals or firms.
This threat of Bio-metrics theft is for all persons involved from individuals, Banks, Financial institutions, Charity to any parties involved in transactions including stock markets, Global multilateral organizations etc.,
Biometrics is widely used in banks and several other finance organizations as a valid authentication against access to sensitive and financial data. However, any unethical hacking or stolen data will result in disastarous consequences.
The IT infrastructure need to ensure that, these data are safe as per safety standards of BIPAA, GDPR as part of the personal data maintenance.
Eventhough, many institutions claim that, their data maintenance are fit to world class safety standards, any unwanted exposure would result in frauds and wrongful claims like credit card data exposed in the public domain few yeara ago!
Mobile Security is the widely used authentication process