Biometrics: An Overview of the Technology, Issues and Applications

Abstract

identification refers to identifying an individual based on his/her distinguishing physiological and/or behavioral characteristics. As these characteristics are distinctive to each and every person, biometric identification is more reliable and capable than the traditional token based and knowledge based technologies differentiating between an authorized and a fraudulent person. This article discusses the various biometric technologies, the advantages and disadvantages of biometric technologies, the security issues and finally the applications of various biometric technologies in day today life. 1. INTRODUCTIONthe ever-changing world of global data communications, inexpensive Internet connections, and fast-paced software development, security is becoming more and more of an issue. Hence it has become more vital to protect the critical infrastructure and provide security for the smooth functioning of the computing solutions from the attackers. One of the ways of protecting is by providing access control to the existing infrastructure. This can be achieved by providing authentication schemes such as secure login with the help of user name and password, pass phrase, smart cards, PIN numbers, biometrics, etc., A biometric system is essentially a pattern recognition system that makes use of biometric traits to recognize individuals. The objective is to establish an identity based on ‗who you are or what you produce', rather than by ‗what you possess' or ‗what you know'. The significance of using biometrics has been reinforced by the need for large scale identity management systems. The very purpose of identity management is to accurately determine an individual's identity in the context of several different applications. This new technique not only provides enhanced security but also avoids, in authentication the need to remember several passwords and maintain multiple authentication tokens.