Book Image

Identity Management with Biometrics

By : Lisa Bock
Book Image

Identity Management with Biometrics

By: Lisa Bock

Overview of this book

Biometric technologies provide a variety of robust and convenient methods to securely identify and authenticate an individual. Unlike a password or smart card, biometrics can identify an attribute that is not only unique to an individual, but also eliminates any possibility of duplication. Identity Management with Biometrics is a solid introduction for anyone who wants to explore biometric techniques, such as fingerprint, iris, voice, palm print, and facial recognition. Starting with an overview of biometrics, you’ll learn the various uses and applications of biometrics in fintech, buildings, border control, and many other fields. You’ll understand the characteristics of an optimal biometric system and then review different types of errors and discover the benefits of multi-factor authentication. You’ll also get to grips with analyzing a biometric system for usability and accuracy and understand the process of implementation, testing, and deployment, along with addressing privacy concerns. The book outlines the importance of protecting biometric data by using encryption and shows you which factors to consider and how to analyze them before investing in biometric technologies. By the end of this book, you’ll be well-versed with a variety of recognition processes and be able to make the right decisions when implementing biometric technologies.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
1
Section 1 –Understanding Biometric Authentication
6
Section 2 – Applying Biometric Technologies
12
Section 3 – Deploying a Large-Scale Biometric System

Understanding system errors

In most cases, an organization will choose to implement a biometric system to control access to a facility, room, or system. Careful consideration prior to implementation includes weighing the pros and cons of the different types of systems. We also want to make sure the selected biometric has most of the desired qualities, such as having uniqueness, ensuring collectability, and avoiding circumvention. In addition, we'll want to make sure the system is capable of performing accurately.

Next, let's take a look at what errors can occur while making a decision.

Making a correct decision

You may see a figure from a vendor that lists the error rate. For example, you might see the following listed in the specifications:

Figure 4.3 – Error rate specifications

A biometric system will commonly have the following errors:

  • Type I error: False Non-Match Rate (FNMR): This represents the number of authorized...