BiometricsBiometrics

Ryan Epling

What Are Biometrics?What Are Biometrics?

“Automated methods of verifying or recognizing a living person on the basis of some physiological characteristics, such as fingerprint or iris patterns, or some aspects of behavior, such as handwriting or keystroke patterns. “

Types of BiometricsTypes of Biometrics

Fingerprint RecognitionFacial RecognitionIris RecognitionRetinal ScanHand Geometry

Fingerprint RecognitionFingerprint Recognition

Matches a specific fingerprint against a database of fingerprints to verify an identity.

Advantages:– Fingerprints are unique– Technology involved is reasonably priced– Commonly accepted practice– Very accurate– Difficult to reproduce

Disadvantages:– More intrusive than username/password type

identification– Injuries can effect the fingerprint scanning process

Fingerprint IdentificationFingerprint Identification

Possible Uses:– Gaining access to a computer system– Gaining access to a secure facility– Proof of identification in the US court system– Airport Security– ATMs

Facial RecognitionFacial Recognition

Takes a digital image and compares facial features against a database to identify an individual.

Advantages:– Faces are captured in public– Can be done from a distance– No physical contact necessary– Criminal Mug shots readily available

Disadvantages:– Invasion of privacy

Facial RecognitionFacial Recognition

Possible Uses:– Smart Home– Identifying African Elephants– Security at sporting events– Airport Security– To prevent voter fraud

Iris RecognitionIris Recognition

Takes a high resolution digital image of an individual’s irises, and uses pattern recognition techniques to verify the individual’s identity.

Advantages:– Internal organism, so it is well protected– Shape is more predictable– Iris texture is unique even in genetically identical individuals– Texture stays very stable over long periods of time

Disadvantages:– Incompatible with the fingerprint recognition systems that have

already been invested in– Difficult to perform if the individual does not cooperate

Iris RecognitionIris Recognition

Possible Uses:– Passports– Border control (United Arab Emirates)– CANPASS Air (pre-approved, low risk)– ATMs– Airport personnel identification

SourcesSources

http://www.isaca.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=23568&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm

http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB396/DB396.pdf http://www.leidenuniv.nl/interfac/cml/pmo/students/elephind/introrec.

pdf http://www.unc.edu/~wknight/Fingerprinting/images/FingerprintRead

er.jpg http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/07/24/iris.explainer/

index.html http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/07/17/face.time.idg/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometrics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_recognition_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_recognition