Finger shopping: Identity authentication can be more securely carried out by using biometric methods

Biometrics is being considered as one of the top 10 emerging technologies that will change the world. It is the technique of studying the physical characteristics of a person such as finger prints, hand geometry, eye structure or voice pattern. The term is derived from the Greek words “bios” for life and “metron” for measure. Identity authentication can be more securely carried out by using biometric methods than by typing passwords or using smart cards, which can be stolen.

Iris-pattern and retina-pattern authentication methods are already being used in some international airports and bank automatic teller machines. Voice waveform recognition, a method of verification that has been used for many years with tape recordings in telephone wiretaps, is now being used for access to proprietary databanks in research facilities. Facial-recognition technology has been used by law enforcement agents to pick out individuals in large crowds with considerable reliability. Hand geometry is being used in various industries to provide physical access to buildings, as well as to grant visas. Earlobe geometry has been used to disprove the identity of individuals who claim to be someone they are not (identity theft). Signature comparison is not as reliable, all by itself, as the other biometric verification methods, but offers an extra layer of verification when used in conjunction with other methods.

What do I have to do?

Biometrics can be used with a smart card to authenticate the user. The user’s biometric information can be stored on a smart card, and the information stored in the card can be checked by a biometric scanner. This is a fast, accurate and secure form of user authentication.

Biometric devices, such as finger scanners, consist of a reader or scanning device, software that converts the scanned information into digital form and compares features and a database that stores the biometric data for comparison.

To prevent identity theft, biometric data is usually encrypted when it’s gathered. No matter what biometric methodology is used, the identification verification process remains the same. A record of a person’s unique characteristics is kept in a database. Later on, when identification verification is required, a new record is captured and compared with the previous record in the database. If the data in the new record matches that in the database record, the person’s identity is confirmed.

What should I study?

You need physics, mathematics and biology at the Plus Two level with at least 60 per cent marks in these subjects. You should have a strong background in computer science. Some of the topics you will study are image processing, computer vision and pattern recognition, computer systems security, and forensic computing.

What next?

Biometrics is an expanding area of application of computing systems. The biometric industry is growing at the rate of 300 per cent, especially after the 9/11 attacks. The impact is evident from the rise in stock prices of companies in this sector.

With more sophisticated attacks on computer systems, expertise in this area will become increasingly useful in the future. Computer security companies will need to employ individuals who have expertise in this area. Biometrics may play a critical role in electronic commerce later. Personal computers might soon include a fingerprint scanner for your index finger.

Citigroup plans to expand its network of biometric ATMs in India in the next few months. Through thumb readers and easy colour-guided screens with voice-over, Citigroup aims to reach out to lower income groups who often have high rates of illiteracy.

Job opportunities exist in financial institutions, insurance companies, banks, research institutions, media and entertainment organisations, government, defence and law enforcement agencies. The rapid advancement in technology promises to extend these applications further.

where to study

• Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
• Software Technology Parks of India, Thiruvananthapuram.
• University of Maryland, Maryland, USA.
• San Jose State University, San Jose, USA.
• West Virginia University, West Virginia, USA.