Biometric Authentication
Alfred C. Weaver · Computer · 2006
In this age of digital impersonation, biometric techniques are being used increasingly as a hedge against identity theft. The premise is that a biometric - a measurable physical characteristic or behavioral trait - is a more reliable indicator of identity than legacy systems such as passwords and PINs. There are three general ways to identify yourself to a computer system, based on what you know, what you have, or who you are. Biometrics belong to the "who you are" class and can be subdivided into behavioral and physiological approaches. Behavioral approaches include signature recognition, voice recognition, keystroke dynamics, and gait analysis. Physiological approaches include fingerprints; iris and retina scans; hand, finger, face, and ear geometry; hand vein and nail bed recognition; DNA; and palm prints. In this article, we focus on the two most popular biometric techniques: fingerprints and iris scans.