Biometrics !
Introduction
The term "biometrics" is derived from the Greek words bio (life) and metric (to measure). For our use, biometrics refers to technologies for measuring and analyzing a person's physiological or behavioral characteristics, such as fingerprints, irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand measurements, for identification and verification purposes.
"A biometric is a measurable characteristic or trait used to recognize or verify the identity of a person."
What is biometrics?
With regard to technology Biometrics is the term given to the use of biological traits or behavioral characteristics to identify an individual. Their traits may be fingerprints, hand geometry, facial geometry, retina patterns, iris patterns, voice recognition, and handwriting recognition.
With regard to computer networks, Biometrics can be used to automatically authenticate an individual using their distinguishable traits.
A brief history of biometrics
Possibly the first known example of biometrics in practice was a form of finger printing being used in China in the 14th century, as reported by explorer Joao de Barros. Elsewhere in the world up until the late 1800s, identification largely relied upon "photographic memory." In the 1890s, an anthropologist and police desk clerk in Paris named Alphonse Bertillon sought to fix the problem of identifying convicted criminals and turned biometrics into a distinct field of study.
Why use it in for network authentication
Security relies on one of three approaches for identification - what you have, what you know or who you are. Previous forms of identifiers relied on what you have or what you know or both. Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) were one of the first methods used for identification.
Use of biometrics
Biometrics is used in two major ways:
- Identification is determining who a person is.
- Verification is determining if a person is who they say they are
How it works
Biometric devices consist of a reader or scanning device, software that converts the gathered information into digital form, and a database that stores the biometric data for comparison with previous records. When converting the biometric input, the software identifies specific points of data as match points. The match points are processed using an algorithm into a value that can be compared with biometric data in the database.
Types of biometrics
There are two types of biometrics:
1).Behavioral Biometrics: Behavioral biometrics is generally used for verification.
2).Physical Biometrics: Physical biometrics can be used for either identification or verification.
Finger print
Finger printing takes an image (either using ink or a digital scan) of a person's fingertips and records its characteristics. Whorls, arches, and loops are recorded along with the patterns of ridges, furrows, and minutiae. This information may then be processed or stored as an image or as an encoded computer algorithm to be compared with other fingerprint records.
How it works
The user presses his finger gently against a small reader surface (optical or silicon) usually of about 2 inch square size. This reader is attached to a computer and takes the information from the scan and sends it to the database. There it is compared to the information within. The user is usually required to leave his finger on the reader for less than 5 seconds during which time the identification or verification takes place.
To prevent fake fingers from being used, many systems also measure blood flow, or check for correctly arrayed ridges at the edges of the fingers.
History
Finger printing was first used in a fashion in 14th century China as a method for parents to distinguish their children from those of others. Young children would have their feet and palms stamped in ink and then onto paper to create a record individual to the child.
Conclusion
In the development of biometric identification systems, physical and behavioral features for recognition are required which:
1).Are as unique as possible, that is, an identical trait won't appear in two people: Uniqueness
2).Occur in as many people as possible: Universality
3).don't change over time: Permanence
4).are measurable with simple technical instruments: Measurability
5).are easy and comfortable to measure: User friendliness
