Living in the era of Information Technology where people can set up their remote accounts from home and order sweaters, books and what not, everyone is voicing concerns about security. While consumers are worried about their identity being stolen, corporations are concerned about unauthorized access to private company data.
Since technology put people in this mess, it has provided a solution for it: Bio-Identity.
Bio-Identity is based on the principles of Biometrics, a science which recognizes people based on their traits. The prior has become applicable to all industries, and helps eliminate fraud, enable high-speed verification and allow only one person per account.
Bio-identification systems can be divided into two main types: visual and electronic. Visual bio-identification methods include the use of photographs, signatures and/or finger or thumb prints on identity cards.
On other hand, Electronic bio-identification systems include digitized voice, hand print, finger/thumb print, or retinal (eye) images. Using these systems, digital records of a person’s voice or physical features are stored on a disk or smartcard. They are then compared to the actual features of the person using some form of electronic reader.
Fingerprint biometrics offers people with a strong authentication system alternative, while reducing the operating costs associated with managing passwords and tokens. Users prefer replacing passwords with Fingerprint IDs to avoid the headaches of remembering passwords. Even if you have a clone somewhere, your fingerprints won’t match because the latter are linked with the pattern of nerve growth and not genetics.
Though Fingerprint authentication is one of the most popular techniques for identification, other types of Bio-Identity features like smart cards with voice-recognition features, DNA Scans, Retinal and Facial scanners are available as well. System manufacturers, banks, and online merchants are all beginning to recognize the advantages of biometric technology thus quite soon expect to see them around a lot.
