Biometrics By: Monika Achury and Shuchita Singh

Sound like the movies?

• Retinal scan granting access to a security vault

• Unlocking a door by facial recognition

• Car door unlocking when the owner touches the handle

• Computer access by fingerprint recognition

Definition:

• Biometrics is the study of automated methods for uniquely recognizing people based on physical and/or behavioral traits.

Physical Characteristics :

• A physical attribute unique to a person– Fingerprints– Eye Retinas– Facial patterns– Voice *

Behavioral Characteristics:

• Traits that are learned or acquired from a person– Hand signature– Typing pattern– Voice *

Identification Methods:

Authenticationbiometric system

identifies a person from the entire enrolled population by searching a database for a match based solely on the biometric

“one to many search”

Verificationbiometric system

authenticates a person’s claimed identity from their previously enrolled pattern

“one to one search”

Biometric Authentication:

What makes a biometric work?

• Characteristics of a biometric that must be present in order to use the system for authentication purposes– Uniqueness: The same trait will not

appear in two people– Universality: The trait has to occur in

many people as possible– Permanence: The trait does not

change over time– Measurability: The trait can be

measured with simple technical instruments

– User friendliness: The trait is easily measured with minimal discomfort

Uses for Biometrics:

• Biometric-based authentication applications include workstation and network access, single sign-on, application logon, data protection, remote access to resources, transaction security, and Web security and more.

Biometric Needs Model:

• Physical Security: Access to a physical location such as a building or room.

• Cyber Security: Access to an organization’s network through a biometrically authenticated login schema.

• Transactional Security: Any monetary transaction which biometrically authenticates, accesses, and atomically debits or credits the user’s account.

Active vs. Passive:

• Biometrics can also be defined as either Passive, or Active.– Passive biometrics do not

require a users active participation and can be successful without a person even knowing that they have been analyzed.

– Active biometrics however, do require a person cooperation and will not work if they deny their participation in the process.

Active vs. Passive:

Active– fingerprint – Hand

geometry– Retina

scanning– Signature

recognition

Passive– Voice

recognition– Iris

recognition– Facial

recognition

Multi-Modal:• Multimodal biometric systems are

those that utilize more than one physiological or behavioral characteristic for enrollment, verification, or authentication.

• Multi-modal biometric systems are looked to as means of– reducing false non-match and false

match rates– providing a secondary means of

enrollment, verification, and identification if sufficient data can’t be acquired from a given biometric sample

– combating attempts to spoof biometric systems

– through non-live data sources such as fake fingers

Why use biometrics?

• Control for businesses

• Inexpensive implementation

• Less administration

• Saves Money

• Convenience for users

Business Applications:

• Schools

• U.S. Visitation

• Secured Safes

• Door entry

• Time cards

• User logon

School Applications:

• Student tracking

• Library circulation

• Attendance

• Food service

• Student logon

• Staff tracking

• Bus loading

Issues and Concerns :

• Once a biometric source is stolen the victim can be posed with this problem for a while.

Sociological concerns :

• Physical : Some think the technology can cause physical harm because instruments are unsanitary

• i.e. retina scanners are not always clean

Sociological concerns :

• Personal info : Information taken by biometric methods can be abused, meaning that data taken can be used in unauthorized ways without the person’s consent.

Cracking the System:• Mythbusters attempted to

break into a security door and laptop equipped with biometric authentication.

• Easily defeated methods with a photocopy of a fingerprint

Uses and initiatives :

• Japan : Banks have palm vein authentication on their ATMs

• Developed by Fujitsu

• False rejection rate of 0.01%

• False acceptance rate of 0.00008%

Uses and initiatives :

• Iraq : Biometrics being used to provide Iraqis with verifiable ID card

• If one has lost their ID card, system can verify them using their biometric info.

• Helps American forces to determine if someone has been causing trouble

Uses and initiatives :

• Australia : Visitors must submit to biometric authentication linking them to their visas and passports.

Future of Biometrics :

• DNA matching

• National Biometric Database– Nat’l database of citizens

• Auto Security– No more keys!

• Active Advertisement– Advertisements based on

who you are