Future Directions in Biometric Security

Biometric systems are being developed which are founded on novel digital image processing technologies and pattern recognition that would be used to distinguish between individuals. There are many well recognized methods of human recognition (face, iris, retina, etc.) which are being employed since years, but yet novel and pioneering solutions are also being proposed. A few of the ground-breaking biometrics techniques are: human scent identification, EEG biometrics, lip biometrics, fingertips tissue identification, heart sound proposed.

These promising techniques, emanating from manual criminal and forensic purposes, may be used in automatic computer vision human recognition systems. In view of the fact that most of the techniques have some disadvantages, the proposal of building multimodal (hybrid) biometrics systems is getting lot of interest in the biometric circles. Due to its benefits over conventional techniques, ear, lip, heart sound and palm print biometrics may support well known techniques such as iris, fingerprint or face identification.

Reliable personal recognition is important to many business processes. The traditional techniques do not in fact offer helpful personal identification since they depend on surrogate representations of the individual’s identity such as knowledge or possession. It is therefore evident that any system providing trustworthy personal recognition must essentially involve a biometric component. This is not, though, to affirm that biometrics alone can provide reliable personal recognition.

Although it is correct to say that in several applications, biometric data is not secret, in numerous other applications for privacy and trust reasons biometric data is sensitive and we may require protecting it. Biometric systems also have some drawbacks that may have undesirable repercussions for the security of a system. While a few of the drawbacks of biometrics can be overcome with the developments in biometric technology and a cautious system design, it is significant to appreciate that infallible personal recognition systems merely do not exist and possibly, never will. Security is a risk management policy that authenticates controls, eradicates, or diminishes uncertain events that may negatively affect system resources and information assets. However, well implemented biometric systems are effective deterrents to unauthorized people like crackers, and crooks in the virtual world.