Biometric authentication is a type of cybersecurity used to link proof of identity to a user’s body or behavioral patterns. The most commonly used of these identifiers include fingerprints, voice, retinas and facial features. Unlike standard passwords, biometric data is much harder to steal or impersonate.
There are three types of biometric security:
- Biological biometrics examine a user at the genetic or molecular level. Bodily fluids that contain unique identifiers like DNA can be analyzed and compared to data based on previously collected samples.
- Morphological biometrics are based on the structure of a body. Features such as eyes, fingerprints and the topography of a face are mapped and then scanned by the device for comparison.
- Behavioral biometrics look at the unique patterns found in the way people walk, speak, write and type, to name a few.
Biometric security has become commonplace. Some form of biometrics is built into most modern smartphones. This trend began several years ago with integrated fingerprint scanners. As biometric security technology progressed, fingerprints gave way to facial recognition, which can provide a higher level of security.
The methods of collecting and verifying biometric data differ depending on which biometrics are used. However, there are some similarities in how the various systems operate.
To initiate a biometric security feature, biometric data is first collected and mapped. This creates a unique identifier used for verification when a user requests access to a secure device or location.
Requesting that access triggers a biometric scanner that measures a user’s unique identifying factors and compares it to a database of previously captured data. If the two sets of data match, the user is granted access.
Is it possible to fake biometric data? Yes, it isn’t easy, but it can be done. If a reward is valuable enough, it will always be a target for sophisticated cybercriminals. That’s why we now find ourselves in an arms race between those who create and rely on biometric security and those who seek to defeat it.
