What Are Biometrics and their Important Facts?
What Are Biometrics: MEANING OF BIOMETRICS
When referring to computers and security, biometrics is the identification of a person by the measurement of their biological features.
For example, a user identifying themselves to a computer or building by their fingerprint or voice is considered a biometrics identification.
When compared to a password, this type of system is much more difficult to fake since it is unique to the person.
Other common methods of a biometrics scan are a person’s face, hand, iris, and retina.
TYPES OF BIOMETRIC DEVICES
Below is a listing of all known biometric devices that may be used to input biometric data into a computer.
• Face Scanner
Biometric face scanners identify a person by taking measurements of a person’s face.
For example, the distance between the person’s chin, eyes (interpupillary distance), nose, and mouth.
These types of scanners can be very secure assuming they are smart enough to distinguish between a picture of a person and a real person.
• Hand scanner
Like your fingerprint, the palm of your hand is also unique to you.
A biometric hand scanner will identify the person by the palm of their hand.
• Finger scanner
Like the picture shown on this page, a biometric finger scanner identifies the person by their fingerprint.
These can be a secure method of identifying a person.
However, cheap and less sophisticated fingerprint scanners can be duped in several ways.
For example, in the show Myth Busters, they were able to fake a fingerprint using a Gummy Bear candy treat.
• Retina Scanner Or Iris Scanner
A biometric retina or iris scanner identifies a person by scanning the iris or retina of their eyes.
These scanners are more secure biometric authentication schemes.
when compared to the other devices, there is no known way to duplicate the retina or iris.
• Vein Recognition
A biometric scan of a person’s veins in the user’s finger or palm.
• Voice Scanner
Finally, a voice analysis scanner will mathematically break down a person’s voice to identify them.
These scanners can help improve security but some less sophisticated scanners can be bypassed using a tape recording.
Password
Sometimes abbreviated as PW and PWD, a password is a set of secret characters or words used to authenticate access to a digital system.
Passwords help ensure that computers or data can only be accessed by those who were granted the right to view or access them.
Strong password – Term used to describe a password that is an effective password that would be difficult to break.
Often a strong password has 10 or more upper and lowercase characters (the more the better).
Below is an example of a strong password.
S3cr3T!P@s$
Weak password – A password that is trivial to guess, or to brute force.
Names, birth dates, phone numbers, and easily guessable words are considered weak passwords.
Below is an example of a weak password.
secret
These are just a few of the various biometric technology that has been invented up to date.
Conclusion
I hope this post was informative enough, please share and comment on the biometrics that you use.
