Types Of Biometrics In Use

Types Of Biometrics Used In The Modern World

The internet has become an inevitable part of everyday life. With Google becoming a one-stop solution for all our problems, with its ability to answer any question that our rather complacent minds manage to cook up; we have started living in a world that is entirely technology driven. Libraries if not already, are becoming a thing of the past. People may not be able to recall the last time they actually made an effort to head out and socialize with their friends and acquaintances, because since the advent of the era of technological intervention through various applications like Facebook and WhatsApp, the basic human tendency to meet and greet has lost its significance. I am trying to drive home the fact that there has been a major shift in how we communicate, how we work, and basically how we live today compared to how things were a few years ago, with new advancements in technology knocking on our doors every other minute.

The general understanding is that lack of technology is an impediment in the progress of anything materialistic and I do share the same opinion to a certain extent. In this mad rat race where all of us are scurrying to finish first with no clue as to where we are actually headed, we let ourselves be swept off our feet by anything that makes our lives easier. We let ourselves be blinded by the convenience that the internet and the so called ‘Digital Revolution’ bring in to our lives, every day. Every time we use the internet or man’s new best friend- the computer to store and share information with other devices across various networks, we fail to realize that the information is now exposed to an unfathomable magnitude of danger, if appropriate measures to safeguard the information have not been taken. From people who do not think twice before sharing personal information on various social media platforms, to business organizations mainly small and medium ones which do not have access to proper security measures to protect their data, to local, state and central Governments which maintain huge amount of highly confidential information which if compromised can adversely affect the country and its citizens, every single one of us would be a sitting duck if we do not safeguard ourselves from this danger that is looming large, one which cannot be ignored at any cost.

The various types of cyber related threats range from hacking of important data, computer viruses to network outages, and the impact varies from causing a minor inconvenience to severe damage. The main intention of system attackers can be to make illegal monetary transactions, to steal confidential information, identity theft, to change or destroy data etc. Cybercrime is no longer a myth; it is a reality that we need to accept. With the growing volumes of information that is being shared through the internet, you and I are becoming more vulnerable to cyber-attacks with each passing day. But does the possibility of falling prey to cyber-crime stop us from using the internet as a medium of sharing information? No! Daily life as we know it will come to a standstill if we shun the use of the internet. A life without mobile banking, online shopping, social media platforms and basic internet services like E- mail would feel like a heavy blow which would send us back to the Stone Age. So what can we do as a precaution to minimize the possibility of cyber-attacks? We can make a small conscious effort to safeguard our data and cover our tracks by using Biometric technology.

While growing up we have watched several sci-fi movies where the secret agent enters a secret vault after a retina scan or a finger print scan. All of us have been amazed, wondering if these actually existed and how they worked. That retina scan or finger print scan we saw in the movies that left all of us in awe is a perfect example of biometric security technology. In today’s world, we are exposed to different types of biometrics, for instance students are required to do a retina scan to enter the hostel. News highlighting the importance of biometrics has been doing the rounds for several years; they have made the headlines, featured in movies and graced the covers of magazines across the world. Though they have become a household topic of discussion in some parts of the world and widely talked about for more than a couple of decades, there are still quite a large number of people who are surprisingly unaware of the technology. Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physical or behavioral characteristic (2001). The most commonly used system which is currently in place is the use of Personal Identification Number, password or documents like driver’s license passport etc which can be stolen or forgotten. We cannot term these as 100% safe. Hence, biometrics provides an alternative for the same, by asking users to interact with a computer terminal which scans their face, voice, retina, finger etc which will mostly be unique and persistent. So let us list out some common types of biometrics that are being widely used in today’s time and world:

1.      Facial recognition- The technology facilitates identification of individuals using unique facial characteristics like distance between the eyes, size of the lips, angle of the jaw, length of the nose etc by taking in to account points like weight gain/loss. It is being widely used even by mobile phones to unlock the screen and reveal details. For eg: iPhone X and One Plus 5T. The technology constructs a digital image of the face based on analyzing and comparing patterns.

2.      Fingerprint Recognition- It is a very commonly used biometric system which identifies an individual by recognizing unique features on a person’s fingertip by studying the various impressions created by the ridges and valleys in the skin of the finger. It is majorly used for authorizing transactions and verification.

3.      Hand Geometry- This technique studies the geometric shape of an individual’s hand and takes in to account details like the length and width of the fingers, distance between joints etc.

4.      Iris Recognition- This enables recognition of an individual based on the distinctly colored ring around the pupil of the eye. The iris is believed to remain unchanged over an individual’s lifetime. This process is mainly used to allow access in to a secured facility like safety vaults across the world as in Swiss Banks.

5.      Voice Recognition- It takes in to account the distinct characteristics in an individual’s voice like pitch, cadence, tone which facilitate unique identification. A biometric template is created by converting the captured samples of the individual’s speech into an electronic format. It is widely used in Artificial Intelligence and robots which are being experimented with in various domains including the financial sector.

6.      Signature Recognition- It is one of the oldest techniques used in the banking sector to compare the signature on the cheque and other significant documents like loan approval etc with the specimen signature provided beforehand. It helps in preventing forgery by using the dynamics of a person’s handwritten signature.

Other types include:

·          Retina recognition- This technique uses infrared light to study the distinct pattern of the blood vessels in the retina of a person’s eye.

·         Keystroke- This takes in to account the detailed timing information which describes exactly when a particular key is pressed and when it is released as a person types using a computer keyboard.

·         Gait- This involves identifying people by purely analyzing how they walk.

Just like any other sphere in the gamut of technological advancement, the evolution in biometric security technology is also rampant. Biometric technology has emerged as a go-to solution for curbing cyber-attacks by enhancing digital security. While facial and finger recognition are being extensively used to stop online theft, how fast you type could soon help you evade system hackers. Recently, a mobile identification company TeleSign launched Behavior ID which is being deemed as the future of digital security. It is an online application that tracks and closely analyses a user's behavior to prevent cyber theft. “The application records behavior such as how a user moves their mouse, presses a touch screen, or the way they type which is virtually impossible to imitate precisely. This increases the level of identity assurance for every user account a company has.” Steve Jillings, CEO of TeleSign.

The internet can never become entirely safe and we cannot eradicate cyber-crime in its entirety from the face of the world of internet. We will continue sharing confidential information as part of our daily routine and hackers will continue prying on us like hawks waiting for an opportunity to pin down their prey.  But what we can do as responsible users of the internet is consciously safeguard ourselves by making use of various tools that ensure digital security like biometrics. Spreading the word about biometrics, understanding its importance and actually making use of it is the need of the hour. Hope your understanding of biometrics is no longer vague.