Biometric Technology & Network Security

What's the biggest issue with current network security solutions? Take your pick. Passwords can be hacked or compromised. Access cards can be counterfeited, lost, or stolen. Are there better options? Yes, there are and you might have the answer in the palm of your hand. As a matter of fact, the palm of your hand may be exactly the solution.

It's no secret how simple it is for even non-hackers to break passwords. I'm sure you even know a few people whose password is...password. And if it's not that simple, there's a good chance is something like their maiden name, spouse's name, pet's name, birthdate, social security number, or something else that wouldn't be difficult to guess.

Biometric security systems use something much more unique than a security card or password. They use an individual's unique physical and/or behavioral characteristics also known as biometrics which include but are not limited to fingerprints, iris scans, facial structure, and voice recognition. These are referred to as physical biometrics.

There are also behavioral biometrics such as signatures and keystroke dynamics. It's more than just signing your name and seeing if it looks like your signature. Biometric systems actually measure how much pressure you put on a piece of paper when you write and the pace of your writing.

Biometric security systems are becoming more prevalent at a rapid rate. The US military has been using biometric technology to protect top secret information since the late 1950s. Since the events of 9/11, the US Department of Homeland Security has turned to biometric technology to secure US borders and it won't be long until all newly issued passports contain an RFID chip with biometric information.

Biometric technology has benefited from other technological advances namely smaller chip sizes and faster processing speeds. These technological breakthroughs have been incorporated into biometric technology to improve accuracy and decrease cost. Biometric technology has become so affordable that it soon will be as common in home security systems as microwaves.

With the epidemic of identity theft, the financial services industry has been an early adopter of biometric solutions to drastically reduce instances of identity fraud. The health care industry has also been a major purchaser of biometric solutions to protect sensitive patient information.

The most commonly used biometric is the fingerprint. The way it would work is that before being granted access to the network, an authorized individual would simply place his or her finger on a fingerprint scanner and within a second he or she would be granted access. It's that simple. No more passwords to remember.

So if you place a high priority on restricting access to your network to only authorized personnel or your just looking for a better, cutting-edge solution, do yourself a favor and look into a biometric solution.