Security : Biometric Measures

Biometric systems can be used as an alternative to passwords to identify the users of a computer system. Biometric systems identify people by recognising one of their unique physical characteristics.

The most common characteristic that is used is the fingerprint. To start with a person's fingerprint is scanned into a computerised database. When a person needs to be identified, his fingerprint is rescanned. The rescanned fingerprint is looked up in the database and matched to the stored fingerprint of the person it belongs to.

Biometric systems have a number of advantages over password systems :

• Unlike passwords, physical characteristics can not be forgotten by an authorised user.
• A password can be stolen or given to an unauthorised person. Biometric systems can only be used by the authorised person.
• Passwords should be changed regularly, biometric measures do not need changing.

Biometric systems can not be used in all situations as they require specialised hardware. For example you would have to use a username and password to log on to an Internet web site from home as you are unlikely to have a fingerprint scanner connected to your home computer.

An alternative biometric system recognises the pattern of blood vessels at the back of the iris. This is more sophisticated than a fingerprint system and more expensive to implement. Scientists are also working on a system that can identify people from the dimensions of their faces. This would enable people to be identified from further away than a fingerprint or iris scan. It is possible that people could be automatically identified using CCTV cameras.

GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004