Biometrics

WHAT IS “Biometrics”? Biometrics is the technology that uses

humans’ unique personal characteristics to identify a person. Face structureFingerprintsHand geometry

(shape of hand and finger lengths)Retina and Iris

(Eyes’ blood vessels and coloured ring in our eyes)

SignatureVein patterns in handsVoice

Some ways in which biometrics is used: Payment

E.g. ATM Iris recognition – scans a person’s eye to access the ATM account

More secure than using a debit/credit cards.Credit cards can lost

Measure body size and keep track of their body changes during training process

Passports with computer chips Impossible for face copies

Fighting crime Install the biometric program in security

cameras to detect theft’s face structure walking on the streets etc, so police can catch them.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF BIOMETRICS?

Increase security Quicker log in to accounts/ checking for matching of fingerprintsNo more problems about losing ID

cards or forgetting passwords Replace hard-to-remember passwords

which may be shared or observed Make it possible, automatically, to know

WHO did WHAT, WHERE and WHEN!

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE DRAWBACKS? Danger to owners – cutting finger off

etc. If the data of biometrics were hacked

from database , we cannot create/change a new ‘password’ – because we cannot change our fingerprints etc.

These systems are not always reliable as human beings change over time if you are ill

If you use biometrics, you are always tracked by database – privacy issues

Expensive security solution If the system fails, you cannot get

through the doors or log in to your account