authentication purposes :

• Biometric data can be produced by the individual only, and the individual has to be physically present at the time of authentication. It is not easy to tamper with biometric data. This biometric system is very reliable, as it can prevent illegitimate access based on stolen credentials.
• Biometric data is unique to every individual and can be produced only by the individual, so it can provide negative identification. If an individual is enrolled in a biometric system, he cannot later deny his enrollment.
• In biometrics, one does not need to remember a huge number of credentials, as happens with passwords or PINs. A password or PIN can be easily forgotten or broken if it is not strong enough. However, an individual’s biometric data is strong enough not to guess or crack.
• In biometrics, one does not need to carry any physical tokens for authentication, as it is done for smart cards, magnetic stripe cards, photo ID cards, physical keys, etc. So, biometric authentication is much more convenient for an individual.

Characteristics of Biometric Data

Biometric data should have the following characteristics so that it can reliably be used for authentication purposes:

• Biometric data should be constant over a long period of time. There should be no significant differences in biometric data based on factors like age, disease, etc.
• The biometric data of an individual should be unique and significantly different from another individual.
• The captured biometric data should be conveniently stored in a format that is easy to handle.
• Biometric data of an individual should be impractical to mask or manipulate.
• The biometric data of an individual should be digitally comparable with that of another individual.
• Biometric data must be irreproducible by other means unless the individual himself or herself produces the data.
• Biometric data has to be accurate. It should not have any false acceptance or false rejection rate.

How does a Biometric Authentication System work?

A biometric system typically works in the following way:

• An individual produces his or her biometric data. Usually, the biometric data is captured by a sensing device like a fingerprint scanner or a video camera.
• Distinguishing characteristics are extracted from the raw biometric sample and converted into a biometric template.
• The mathematical representation of the biometric template is registered and stored in the database.
• Later, when an individual tries to authenticate by producing his or her biometrics, the stored biometric data is compared with the given information for verification.

What are the different types of Biometric Authentication?

Biometrics can be of two types:

• Physiological Biometrics
• Behavioral Biometrics

Physiological biometrics is based on an individual’s physiological characteristics, such as fingerprints, iris patterns, face recognition, etc.

Behavioral biometrics is based on the behavioral characteristics of an individual, such as keystroke rhythm, signature, voice recognition, etc.

The main difference between these two biometrics is that physiological biometrics are not influenced by an individual’s psycho-emotional state. They remain unchanged over time and emotional state. However, behavioral biometrics can be affected by factors like an individual’s emotional state or disease. So, physiological biometrics is supposed to be more reliable than behavioral …