How Will Biometric Technology Affect You?

Science fiction has become a reality. You've probably seen biometric technology in the movies and didn't even realize it. Maybe it was a fingerprint required to open a door or perhaps it was a retinal scan of the eye. Well it's not just something in the movies anymore. Biometric technology has made great strides in the last few years and more and more industries are adopting biometric systems to restrict access and protect private information.

Biometrics are more secure than traditional passwords or security cards. It turns out more than your fingerprints are unique. Your voice, facial features, iris, and retina, and more are all unique to you and can be used for security purposes. It's a lot more difficult to steal someone's finger or eyeball than it is to guess a password or steal a security card.

Biometric security is also being built into the newest laptop computers. Many people keep sensitive information they wouldn't want to share on their hard drive. Things like bank account numbers, social security numbers, PIN numbers, etc. It's not uncommon for unscrupulous individuals to slip onto your computer when you're not around and lift some of this sensitive information. Enter biometric technology. Now before you can access the computer, you'll have to supply a fingerprint by placing your finger on a fingerprint scanner. If there's a match, you'll quickly be granted access. Otherwise you're SOL.

Biometric technology won't prevent a thief from stealing your computer and ripping out your hard drive but no security solution is perfect. Short of programming your PC to self-destruct if it falls into enemy hands, biometric technology is about the best we can do today.

There are also concerns that thieves could just lift your fingerprint off a glass or some other common item. Privacy proponents are screaming about invasion of privacy too. So there are issues to be addressed and no technology will ever please everyone.

With the myriad concerns over security and identity issues within the field of biometric technology, is it even worth implementing biometric technology in the first place? That depends on the level of risk you are willing to accept and the nature of your business. If you work with sensitive data that needs to be kept private, you should consider biometric technology because any steps you can take to secure sensitive data are probably worthwhile.

In any event, you should recognize that biometric technology is gaining momentum and is most likely here to stay. That being the case, it seems advisable to evaluate biometric systems and decide if they fit into your corporate or personal security plans.