1. An Introduction to Biometrics
Glenn Gordon
COSC 356
12/02/04

2. Overview What Are Biometrics? Physical Biometric Devices
Behavioral Biometric Devices
Biometrics and Network Security
Advantages and Disadvantages of Biometrics
Questions?

3. What Are Biometrics?
Biometrics is a system of using particular devices to authenticate individuals based on certain unique physical or behavioral characteristics
When an individual attempts to gain access through a biometric device, they display a certain characteristic to the device, which is compared to a previously made template of that characteristic.
Acceptance or denial of access is based on similarities between the presented characteristic and the template.
Templates are most often stored on a computer server or smart card.

4. Physical Biometrics
Physical biometrics evaluate certain unique physical characteristics of a person’s body.
Types of physical biometric devices:
Fingerprint Scanners
Hand Geometry Scanners
Iris Scanners
Retinal Scanners
Facial Scanners

5. Fingerprint Scanners
Fingerprint scanners are devices that scan an individual’s fingerprint and compare it to a preexisting fingerprint template.
Most commonly used biometric devices.
Advantages:
Inexpensive, ability to enroll multiple fingerprints.
Disadvantages:
vulnerable to dirt, associated with criminality.

6. Hand Geometry Scanners
Hand Geometry scanners are devices which measure an individual’s hand based on their hand’s size and shape.
Advantages:
simple to use, work quickly and easily.
Disadvantages:
Limited accuracy, often large and bulky.

7. Iris Scanners
Iris scanners analyze the pattern of color surrounding one’s pupils.
Advantages:
simple cameras, doesn’t require close contact, accurate results.
Disadvantages:
expensive, not easy to use.

8. Retinal Scanners
Retinal scanners analyze patterns of blood vessels in the back of one’s eye.
Advantages:
very accurate, patterns don’t change often.
Disadvantages:
difficult to use, require close contact, often large and expensive.

9. Facial Scanners Facial Scanners analyze one’s facial characteristics.
Advantages:
Use normal cameras, does not require cooperation of users.
Diadvantages:
need adequate lighting, faces change over time.

10. Behavioral Biometrics
Behavioral biometrics are devices that analyze particular behavioral characteristics of an individual.
Types of behavioral biometric devices:
Signature Verification Scanners
Voice authentication Scanners
Keystroke Scanners

11. Signature Verification Devices
Signature Verification Devices analyze a person’s signature based on shape of signature, speed and pressure.
Advantages:
familiarity, simple to use.
Disadvantages:
high error rates.

12. Voice Authentication Devices
Voice Authentication Devices analyze an individual’s voice and transform their words into text, which is often referred to as voice to print technology.
Advantages:
easy to use
Disadvantages:
background noise, voice changes.

13. Keystroke Scanners
Keystroke Scanners are software programs that evaluate a person’s typing patterns based on “flight time” and “dwell time.”
Advantages:
easy to use, software versus physical device.
Disadvantages:
limited accuracy.

14. Biometrics and Network Security
Biometric devices as peripherals.
Keystroke programs
Digital Signatures
Biometric tokens
Layers of security and multi-factor authentication
Often more secure than passwords

15. Advantages and Disadvantages of Biometrics
Difficult to spoof
Add to layers of security & multi-factor authentication
Not highly susceptible to user mistakes and social engineering
Disadvantages:
Often expensive
Often viewed as inconvenient
Users may feel violated
Vulnerabilities of templates
False negatives & false positives

16. Any Questions?