Using Biometrics to Protect Your Computer
As defined in Computer Security Basics by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. Biometrics
is the use of a persons unique physiological, behavioral, and morphological
characteristics to provide positive personal identification.
Biometric systems that are currently avaiable today examine fingerprints, handprints,
and retina patterns. Systems that are close to biometrics but are not classified as such
are behavioral systems such as voice, signature and keystroke systems. They test
patterns of behavior not parts of the body.
It seems that in the world of biometrics that the more effective the device, the less
willing people will be to accept it. Retina pattern devices are the most reliable but
most people hate the idea of a laser shooting into their eye. Yet something such as
monitoring keystroke patters people don't mind, but it's not nearly as effective.
Biometric verification is forecast to be a multibillion dollar market in this decade.
There is no doubt that financial credit and debit cards are going to be the biggest part
of the biometric market. There are also many significant niche markets which are growing
rapidly.
For example, biometric identification cards are being used at a university in Georgia to
allow students to get their meals, and in a Maryland day care center to ensure that the
right person picks up the right child. In Los Angeles, they are using fingerprints to
stop welfare fraud. And they're also being used by frequent business travellers for
rapid transit through immigration and customs in Holland, and now at JFK and Newark
airports in the United States. It could also be used to simply prevent one employee from
"punching in" for some one else, or to prevent someone from opening up an account at a
bank using a false name. Then there is also the security access market, access to
computer databases, to premises and a
variety of other areas.
The Sentry program made by Fingerprint Technologies uses several devices at once. The
system first prompts for a user name and password. Then they must have their fingerprint
scan match what is on record. They can also use a video camera for real time video to
capture photographs which can be incorporated into the data base. The time to scan and
gain entrance to the building take from 6 to 10 seconds depending on what other
information the operator wishes the user to enter. The system also keeps on record three
of the individuals finger patterns incase one of the others is injured.
Biometrics is still relatively new to most people and will remain expensive to purchase
good equipment until it becomes more popular and the technology gets better. And as
people become more aware of how the systems work they will become more accepting of the
more secure systems and not shy away from them as much. The future of access control
security is literally in the hands, eyes, voice, keystroke, and signature of everyone.
as much
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