Biometric Authentication Technology – The Upside and the Flipside

The world that we used to witness in James Bond movies or read about in Marvel comics now very much exists within our midst. I am not talking about super powered humans and international espionage here, but the technology that has been depicted in these media that we once thought to be pretty far out. That time when you saw James Bond placing his chin on a retinal scanner to get access to his top secret lair and thought wow! – that technology is actually being used by various companies today to ensure that only authorized personnel enter their premises. This is the world of biometric authentication and you are in for a wild ride.

The systems that drive this technology are pretty simple - a highly developed process of monitoring and authenticating the identity of an individual with respect to the physical attributes and behavioral characteristics. Biometric scanners are actually being preferred by various organizations, as well as government departments owing to their accuracy in identity establishment and fool-proof systems of computing. The technology actually has various advantages and a few flipsides. This article will help you understand them both.

The upsides

• The system makes use of markers that are biological and unique to individuals which makes them nearly impossible to imitate. Access cards can be stolen and passwords can be hacked, but the retinal scan of a person cannot be used falsely without the person’s consent and personal involvement.
• It also minimizes the incidence of human error where people might simply misplace their keycards or forget pass codes. You will always have your access marker on your person because it is a physical part of your body and existence.
• It cannot be hacked under any situation, except the highly advanced technology systems. Since physical traits and behavioral attributes are unique to the person, hacking or replication is rarely possible.
• Biometric identity management is more accurate and uses the latest computing technology to establish identity. Systems can also be used to generate reports and track usage statistics to monitor accessibility.
• Important information about the person is recorded with respective biometric attributes, ensuring effective monitoring and control from time to time.
• Applications of biometrics include attendance tracking or authenticating accessibility to a restricted area.

The Flipsides

Biometric scanners and readers are still evolving which means various facets of these systems are still vulnerable and need improvement. Anti-hacking mechanisms are present, but they need more strengthening. The advent of systems that use multiple biological markers to establish identity have added an extra layer of security and accuracy. With a few more advancements and targeted changes, we will soon have a system that will be virtually fool-proof.

Biometric authentication is the logical next step in the world of security. You can know all about it through the use of the internet. Visit http://www.crossmatch.com/ for all the information and solutions that you may need.

About The Author

Benson Hedge is a pioneer in the field of biometric authentication and runs his own organization manufacturing security systems relating to this technology. He also likes to spread awareness about the many aspects related to the industry through the many informative articles he writes.

Crossmatch provides a variety of identity management solutions such as fingerprint biometric hardware, strong authentication software and developer tools.