Biometrics: When Identity Matters

Abstract

Establishing the identity of a person is becoming critical in our vastly interconnected society. Questions like “Is she really who she claims to be?”, “Is this person authorized to use this facility?” or “Is he in the watchlist posted by the government?” are routinely being posed in a variety of scenarios ranging from issuing a driver’s licence to gaining entry into a country. The need for reliable user authentication techniques has increased in the wake of heightened concerns about security and rapid advancements in networking, communication and mobility. Biometrics, described as the science of recognizing an individual based on her physiological or behavioral traits, is beginning to gain acceptance as a legitimate method for determining an individual’s identity. Biometric systems have now been deployed in various commercial, civilian and forensic applications as a means of establishing identity. These systems rely on the evidence of fingerprints, hand geometry, iris, retina, face, hand vein, facial thermogram, signature, voice, etc. to either validate or determine an identity.