Biometric authentication is a process of proving your identity using unique biological characteristics such as fingerprints, voice, retinal patterns, etc. This authentication technique is becoming more popular since Apple introduced a fingerprint scanner in the iPhone.
In this type of authentication, there is no need to remember any details or carry around security keys.
It's also highly secure, as it's difficult to break into a system that requires an identifier that cannot be copied or possessed.
The authentication process is done in a few seconds and requires little to no training, as the users only need to touch a scanner or click a selfie.
A biometric identifier is a parameter that can be measured to identify a person uniquely, and it serves as an access code in biometric authentication. They can be either physiological or behavioral identifiers.
Fingerprint authentication compares a user's fingerprint to the stored fingerprint templates to validate the user's identity.
Face recognition systems detect a face from a live camera source and compare it with the available database of known faces to find a match in order to complete authentication.
In retinal authentication systems, the identifier is the unique blood vessel patterns of the retina.
In this biometric, users are identified by the shape of their hand.
Body odor is a new biometric identifier that is proving to be more effective than other emerging identifiers. This identifier is still under development and not yet in use.
Voice recognition systems analyze a person's voice to validate their identity.
A person's typing pattern is unique due to neuro-physiological factors. This can be used to identify a person.
Similar to typing rhythm, the handwriting of a person can serve as an identifier, as it is distinct for each person.
As simple and secure as it sounds, biometrics do come with their own cons. For instance, since skin elasticity decreases with age, older individuals may experience difficulty authenticating themselves using their fingerprints. Worse yet, leaked biometrics could lead to compromised identities.
It's important to remember that biometrics are not 100 percent accurate. The biometric authentication system simply tries to find the best match to the given input identifier from the available collection of biometric data.
To combat these issues, there are biometric systems with modifications.
Adaptive biometric systems auto-update their biometric data with the changing environment and aging of the biometric identifiers.
Biometric system in which authentication requires more than one biometric identifier is called a multimodal biometric system. This improves the accuracy and also provides alternatives.
We already know why it's better to use biometrics in conjunction with other authentication techniques. Multi-factor authentication systems use multiple authentication methods to verify users identities. They generally include identifiers that involve:
Even though biometrics are an easy and effective security solution, we don't see widespread use of it in IT enterprises because:
ADSelfService Plus is an identity security solution with MFA, SSO, and self-service password management capabilities that offers 20 different MFA methods to secure endpoints such as machines, applications, and VPNs. ADSelfService Plus supports both Android and iOS biometric authentication mechanisms, such as fingerprint and facial recognition.
The biometric data required for verification is not stored in a central database in ADSelfService Plus. Rather, during verification, ADSelfService Plus asks the mobile phone's OS to check if the given biometric data matches the stored data in order to authenticate the user.
There is no need to deploy and maintain a separate biometric authentication system, as ADSelfService Plus utilizes the fingerprint scanner and facial recognition system readily available in almost every smart phone. This eliminates the added costs of purchasing the required hardware, too.
Enable users to reset forgotten passwords and unlock their accounts without involving the help desk, anytime, anywhere.
Secure access to endpoints, such as machines, applications, VPNs, OWA, and RDP, with adaptive MFA supporting 20 different authentication methods.
Sync the Windows Active Directory user password across various platforms automatically, eliminating password fatigue.
Ensure strong passwords that are equipped to fight dictionary attacks, brute-force attacks, and other password threats.
Allow users to update personal information in Active Directory, freeing the help desk from this daunting and repetitive task.
Secure and streamline access to a range of preconfigured and custom enterprise applications with SSO.
Leverage ADSelfService Plus' multi-factor authentication features to secure your user accounts.
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