Biometric Security
Abstract
Accurate and automatic identification and authentication of users is a fundamental problem in network environments. Shared secrets such as PINs or passwords and key devices like smart cards just are not enough in some cases. What is needed is something that could verify that you are physically the person you claim to be - biometrics. Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Biometric technologies are becoming the foundation of an extensive array of highly secure identification and personal verification solutions. Biometric identification technologies have been associated generally with very costly top secure applications. Today the core technologies have evolved and the cost of the equipment is going down dramatically due to the integration and increasing processing power. Certain applications of biometric identification technology are now cost-effective, reliable and highly accurate. As a result, there is no technological or financial barriers for stepping from the pilot projects to widespread deployment. This paper introduces the biometric technologies and the problematics incorporated.
1. Introduction
"A biometric is a unique, measurable characteristic or trait of a human being for automatically recognizing or verifying identity." This measurable characteristic, Biometric, can be physical, such as eye, face, finger image, hand and voice or behavioural, like signature and typing rhythm. Biometric system must be able to recognize or verify it quickly and automatically. Biometric products gives the highest level of security.
Three levels of security are: • The lowest level of security is defined as something you have in your possession, such as an ID badge with a photograph on it. • The second level of security is something that you know, such as a password used with computer login or PIN code
Accurate and automatic identification and authentication of users is a fundamental problem in network environments. Shared secrets such as PINs or passwords and key devices like smart cards just are not enough in some cases. What is needed is something that could verify that you are physically the person you claim to be - biometrics. Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Biometric technologies are becoming the foundation of an extensive array of highly secure identification and personal verification solutions. Biometric identification technologies have been associated generally with very costly top secure applications. Today the core technologies have evolved and the cost of the equipment is going down dramatically due to the integration and increasing processing power. Certain applications of biometric identification technology are now cost-effective, reliable and highly accurate. As a result, there is no technological or financial barriers for stepping from the pilot projects to widespread deployment. This paper introduces the biometric technologies and the problematics incorporated.
1. Introduction
"A biometric is a unique, measurable characteristic or trait of a human being for automatically recognizing or verifying identity." This measurable characteristic, Biometric, can be physical, such as eye, face, finger image, hand and voice or behavioural, like signature and typing rhythm. Biometric system must be able to recognize or verify it quickly and automatically. Biometric products gives the highest level of security.
Three levels of security are: • The lowest level of security is defined as something you have in your possession, such as an ID badge with a photograph on it. • The second level of security is something that you know, such as a password used with computer login or PIN code