1. Enhancing Biometric Security Using Watermarking By Shivankush Aras

2. What is Watermarking? Biometric data is not replaceable and is not secret. A biometric system is also prone to several types of attacks which calls for data authentication using information hiding techniques.[2] One of the data hiding technique is “ Watermarking” which means embedding biometric information into data that should be imperceptible but unremovable. It helps in avoiding the replay attacks that can take place in the communication channel in the biometric systems between various components.

3. Project Description Watermarking for this project can be described as embedding the minutiae information of the fingerprints in the host data (e.g. synthetic fingerprints, face etc) so as to protect the intellectual properties of the original data. It uses Steganography (“ covered writing”) for developing an invisible watermark for protecting the minutiae data and help in increasing security of biometric data exchange.

4. Techniques to be used The general watermarking techniques to be used in the project include the following [1] 1. Spatial domain methods – The pixel values in image channel are changed - like gradient orientation analysis or preserving singular points. 2. Spectral-transform domain methods – Watermark signal is added to the host image in the transform domain. Eg. FullFrame DCT Domain

5. Outline of the System

6. References 1. “Hiding fingerprint minutiae in images” by A.K. Jain and U. Uludag. Proc. of Third Workshop on Automatic Identification Advanced Technologies (AutoID), pp. 97-102, Tarrytown, New York, March 14-15, 2002. 2. “Information Hiding Techniques for Steganography and Digital Watermarking”, by M. Kutter and F. Hartung Artech House, 2000.