Synonyms

Biometrics

Definition

A biometric application is the sum of the functionality, utilization, and role of a biometric technology in operation. Biometric technologies such as fingerprint, face recognition, and iris recognition are utilized in a range of applications that vary in terms of performance requirements, operational environment, and privacy impact. Biometric technology selection – which modality to utilize and what hardware and software to deploy – is typically driven in large part by the application. Biometric applications can be generalized into four categories. The first application category is controlling access to data, such as logging into a device, PC, or network. The second application category is controlling access to tangible materials or areas, such as physical access control. The third application category is to validate a claimed identity against an existing credential, such as in a border control environment. The fourth application is to register or identify individuals whose identities need to be established biometrically, most often using centralized or distributed databases. Beyond this high-level decomposition, an application taxonomy can be defined that spans 12 distinct biometric applications. This taxonomy takes into account factors such as the user’s motivation and incentive, the location of biometric data storage and matching, the nature of the data or materials that the biometric is protecting, and the role of non-biometric authentication and identification techniques.

Introduction

The need for secure, reliable identity validation and confirmation has driven the adoption of biometric technologies in a diverse range of applications. Biometric applications can be generalized into four categories. The first application category is controlling access to data, such as logging into a device, PC, or network. The second application category is controlling access to materials or areas, such as physical identity against an existing credential, such as in a border control environment. The fourth is to register or identify individuals whose identities need to be established by biometric means, most often using centralized or distributed databases. Law enforcement and military uses of biometrics are primary examples of this fourth application category.

Though the four generalized functionalities provide an overview of how biometrics can be applied, a more detailed taxonomy is required to capture the full breadth of biometric application. The large majority of biometric utilization and deployment can be grouped into one of 12 applications:

  • Law Enforcement (Forensics): Biometric technologies have long been utilized as a secure means to identify alleged criminals. In this particular application, an individual’s fingerprints are used to determine or confirm an identity against a central record store. The FBI currently holds one of the largest biometric databases, comprised of tens of millions of civil and criminal fingerprint records.

  • Background Checks: Biometric technologies are used to execute background checks as a condition of employment for many government and commercial professions. While background checks may be executed against the same databases used in criminal searches, the applications differ in that background check or “civil” records are typically not retained – they are discarded after the result is returned to the querying agency.

  • Surveillance: Biometric technologies are deployed, locate, track, and identify persons in a field of view (i.e., in a given space or area). Historically, surveillance applications required laborious and monotonous monitoring of cameras. Biometrics automates the process through the utilization of face-recognition technology; biometric surveillance systems can be configured to alert officials to the presence of individuals of interest.

  • Border Control: The ever-increasing volume of international travel necessitates implementation of technologies that can automate, streamline, and expedite border crossing. Driven by international standards for biometric-enabled passports, as well as ad hoc regional efforts, countries utilize fingerprints, iris, and face-recognition technologies in border control applications ranging from localized to nationwide. Deployed properly, biometrics can ensure that screening resources are routed toward travelers whose risk profile is unknown.

  • Fraud Reduction: Biometric technology can be deployed in public-sector applications to prevent individuals from claiming benefits under multiple identities. Government agencies have utilized iris and fingerprint recognition as a means to deter “double dipping” at the state and federal levels.

  • Trusted Traveler: This application enables users to traverse security checkpoints with reduced likelihood of rigorous security inspections. Iris recognition and fingerprint are the leading technologies in this high-profile biometric application.

  • Physical Access Control: Physical access control is the use of biometrics to identify or verify the identity of individuals before permitting access to an area. Companies and government agencies deploy technologies such as fingerprint, hand geometry, and iris recognition to control key entry and exit points.

  • Time and Attendance: Biometrics can serve as a commercial application to assist in employee management. In this particular application, devices are used to track employee attendance. Hundreds of commercial deployments utilize hand geometry and fingerprint recognition to ensure the integrity of work hours and payroll.

  • Consumer Recognition: This application refers to the confirmation of one’s identity in order to execute a commercial transaction. Conventional authentication methods have utilized keycards, PIN numbers, and signatures to ensure the validity of a given transaction. Biometrics can reduce reliance on tokens and passwords and can provide consumers with a sense of assurance that their transactions are secure. Fingerprint recognition is a common technology deployed in this application.

  • Remote Authentication: Biometrics provide a secure method of authentication for remote access to important information by allowing mobile device users to be accurately identified. Previous deployments have utilized fingerprint and voice recognition.

  • Asset Protection: This application describes the need to protect digital information and other sensitive materials from unauthorized users. One common application is the use of fingerprint recognition on safes to protect sensitive documents. Biometrics also serves to compliment already in-place security methods such as passwords and user identification on computer workstations.

  • Logical Access Control: Biometrics is used to control access to systems and/or devices based on physical characteristics. It is commonly used to control access to centralized databases, healthcare information, or financial records. Many deployments have utilized fingerprint recognition due to its proven reliability, ease of use, and accuracy.

As seen by the aforementioned application descriptions, biometric technology is typically used in applications where it can improve security, increase efficiency, or enhance convenience. Additionally, biometrics allow users to forego the responsibility of creating passwords and carrying keycards while maintaining a level of security that meets, and in some cases surpasses, that of conventional authentication methods.

Discussion

Each application utilizes biometrics as a solution to an identified authentication problem. There exist, however, key differentiating factors that help to distinguish one application from another. Some of these distinctions include the environment in which biometrics has been implemented, the purpose that biometrics is intended to serve, and the methods in which biometrics is utilized to serve its purpose.

The application of biometrics in law enforcement has utilized fingerprint recognition as a reliable means to identify criminals. Biometrics enable officials to conduct automated searches; compare biometric information of suspects against local, state, and national databases; and process mug shot-database comparisons [3]. A typical deployment would utilize a live-scan system, AFIS technology including matching hardware and software, and face-recognition software. Though such a scenario is common for law enforcement-related applications, recent trends have begun to push for mobile biometric devices in order to identify individuals in the field without the need to retain suspects for extended periods of time. Law enforcement applications of biometrics are unique in that they implement widely adopted standards for imaging, data transmission, and file formats. These standards allow jurisdictions to share fingerprint and face data in an interoperable fashion, even when biometric hardware and software are sourced from different suppliers. Increasingly, law enforcement biometric systems are deployed to search suspected terrorist data as well as data collected in military applications.

Background checks utilize biometric systems to determine the identity of an individual and to retrieve his or her historical records. Biometric background check systems collect high-quality fingerprints for submission to state or federal systems that determine whether a given set of fingerprints is linked to criminal or other derogatory records. For example, some government agencies require individuals to submit biometric data for employment purposes. Fingerprint recognition technology is primarily used due to the extensive collection of fingerprint images currently held by government officials.

Surveillance applications utilize biometric technology, primarily face recognition, to locate and identify individuals without their awareness. Such applications are designed to collect biometric data without an explicit, direct presentation. By contrast, fingerprint and vein recognition technologies require individuals to voluntarily submit biometric measurement to the device. Surveillance application can, however, measure one’s biometrics from a distance. A typical deployment would be to implement biometrics into already-existing security cameras or to install customized cameras whose resolution and performance characteristics are sufficient for acquisition of enrollable face images. In the future, gait recognition is envisioned as a surveillance technology capable of operating at greater distances than face recognition [2]. The technology could then notify officials to the presence of specific individuals in highly trafficked areas such as airport terminals. One challenge facing biometric surveillance is individual movement. Previously deployed systems have shown that quick and sudden actions can cause recognition performance to decrease. Some implementers have attempted to overcome this challenge by installing cameras in locations in which movement is limited such as entrances and staircases.

Border control focuses upon the management of international borders at targeted locations. At busy points of entry, it can be a difficult process to accurately and efficiently identify individuals. A common solution is to compliment conventional security protocols, such as identification cards, with biometric security methods such as fingerprint devices. This allows for 1:1 biometric matches that can reduce the time required to confirm the user’s identity. There are some complications, however, when implementing biometrics into border management. One challenge typically faced is the assurance of cross-jurisdictional interoperability. It can prove to be difficult to have bordering nations to agree upon a single standard.

Biometric technology can provide a considerable financial benefit to both the government and general public. Biometric systems are deployed in public service applications for fraud reduction, detecting and deterring the use of multiple identities to receive entitlements such as welfare payments. If a previously enrolled individual attempts to claim another identity, the biometric system recognizes this, and officials are alerted. Past deployments have utilized stationary fingerprint or iris recognition systems that have been installed within government facilities.

The trusted traveler application enables frequent travelers to bypass extensive and time-consuming security checkpoints after their initial enrollment. At enrollment, passengers submit their identification information and biometric data, which is then used to conduct a background check. Once the individual has been cleared as nonthreatening and their identity is verified, the agency can then distribute a specialized traveler’s smart card that contains the traveler’s information and biometric data [3]. With this smart card, the traveler can utilize specialized security checkpoints to gain access to airport terminals quickly and conveniently. Terminals install automated systems that determine whether to deny or grant access to the traveler based on their biometric information. Typical trusted traveler systems utilize gated entry points to prevent forced entry, smart cards that store biometric templates, and face, fingerprint, or iris recognition technology to verify the individual’s identity. The commercial benefits of trusted traveler programs accrue when a critical mass of registrants is reached, as well as when additional programs are incorporated into the “trusted” framework.

Biometric physical access control deployments are most often implemented to control employee access to secure or protected areas. Typically, the biometric reader is installed as a stationary system in which the user must verify his or her identity against a card-based, reader-based, or centralized template. Physical access control is one of the most well-established biometric applications, with hundreds of devices on the market ranging from inexpensive, standalone fingerprint readers to highly automated iris recognition devices. Fingerprint, face recognition, hand geometry, and vein recognition are also commonly deployed for physical access control.

Aside from maintaining a high level of security, biometric applications can help to serve the commercial sector for financial benefits. Biometrics used for time and attendance confirm the presence of an individual at a specific time, date, and location. Because of the potential difficulty of tracking the hours of thousands of employees at larger facilities, time and attendance applications allow management to automatically eliminate the possibility of “buddy punching”, tardiness, or absence without their knowledge. Automating this process can also lead to time savings with payroll management. Hand geometry recognition and fingerprint are the most frequently deployed biometric technologies in this application. Deployers often need to overcome the learning curve associated with device acclimation and the challenge of end-user acceptance.

Biometrics are deployed in financial sector applications to provide convenience and security for the consumer. Numerous banks have deployed fingerprint and vein recognition technology at ATMs as a method to enhance identification and security. The use of biometric technology bypasses the need for users to carry identification cards and to remember lengthy PIN numbers. Another possible application of biometric technology within the financial sector is to use biometrics in customer service call centers. This specific example utilizes voice recognition technology to bypass the need for customers to provide their identification details and verify their information. Instead, voice recognition technology automates the customer authentication process and allows representatives to immediately aid the consumer, saving time and increasing productivity.

Remote authentication utilizes biometrics to verify individuals in different locations and allows for unsupervised secure authentication. Web-based financial transactions without biometrics typically consist of an extended identification number, PIN number, and/or user information to verify an individual as authorized. This single factor authentication, however, can be easily replicated. Biometric technologies such as voice recognition or mobile fingerprint recognition [1] can provide an added layer of security to reduce customer fraud.

Biometric logical access control applications allow authorized users to gain access to systems or devices containing highly sensitive information such as healthcare information and financial records. A common approach would be to utilize inexpensive fingerprint peripherals (for workstations) or integrated fingerprint devices (for laptops). The user must provide his or her biometric information in order to gain access to sensitive device or system. It can be a challenge to deploy biometrics for logical access control because end users may feel uncomfortable with supplying such personal information to gain access to information. It would be crucial to provide sufficient lead time for users to become accustomed with the device and aware of what information is being recorded and not recorded.

Summary

Biometric technologies are currently deployed in a wide range of mission-critical government and commercial applications. Due to its wide range of functionality, biometric technology can be utilized in a number of applications to provide an added level of security and convenience beyond that of conventional security methods. Additionally, biometrics can be implemented in parallel with legacy systems to enable a gradual transition from conventional security systems to enhanced biometric security. As seen from previous deployments, some biometric modalities better serve one application than another; limiting factors include environment, size, and end-user compliance. Though each application serves its own purpose, applying biometrics achieves the overarching goal of accurately identifying or verifying an individual’s identity while enhancing security, efficiency, and/or convenience.

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