Combining biometric measurements for security applications
CB Richard Walton · Computer Fraud & Security · 2005
In the current security environment Governments and others are looking to Biometric technology to improve identification processes. Some of the potential applications have significant implications for civil liberties. There is legitimate concern about the efficacy of the technology and of the decision-making processes resulting from interpretation of biometric measurements. Claims are often exaggerated; by technology vendors and by both advocates and opponents of the use of biometrics for such purposes. This paper examines some of the issues arising from the application of biometric measurements for security applications. Specifically there is concern that use of a single biometric measure is inadequate for many potential applications. Important questions considered include the use of Entropy to compare the security properties of a biometric system with a traditional password system based on secret data and the use of statistical models to underpin security claims. The paper is based on a report commissioned by Senselect Ltd to examine the effects of using two or more biometric measurements for security applications.