What is biometrics? 10 physical and behavioral identifiers | CSO Online

Security is one of the major priorities for users today. No matter if it is our house or our phones, we tend to have the best security measures in place. Moreover, as cyberattacks continue to haunt us, we might look for new ways to defend ourselves. Tech giants like Google, Apple, etc., are also packing their devices with robust security features to keep the user data secure.

Now, each one of us has seen the evolution of security technology throughout the previous two decades. Beginning with a simple four-digit code, pattern lock, passwords, and now biometrics, we have come a long way.

As biometrics like fingerprints and facial characteristics become much more widely used, it sometimes substitutes passwords. Yes, you might no longer need to generate a password to access a specific service. Instead, you can press your finger against a scanner on your phone and gain access. Sounds tempting and convenient? In a sense, it is. But can biometrics truly replace passwords? What if they leak? Let’s discuss all the possibilities and concerns. 

Passwords vs. biometrics

To be fair, passwords are not going anywhere anytime soon. It is still a standard way of accessing and securing networks, accounts, devices, etc. However, biometrics have been applied as alternatives or supplements to passwords. Many services might even go for passwordless technology. Nevertheless, millions of bank clients can now complete smaller transactions without going through any additional steps. 

Advantages of passwords

  1. Passwords are a cost-effective choice

One of the prime factors that rank passwords above biometrics is cost-effectiveness. How?

Well, on the one hand, a password is a set of secret characters that need to be matched using a code and just have to be stored on the device securely.

While on the other hand, biometric security factors like fingerprint scanning, facial recognition require an advanced set of sensors and pattern detection methods. Integrating these security methods into your devices will cost you more than password authentication.

  1. Wider compatibility

Let’s take the example of a keypad phone. It will not support any type of fingerprint authentication. Moreover, not everyone owns a smartphone, so biometrics will not have compatibility with all the devices.

In contrast, passwords can be the perfect solution as they can be added to every device, which makes them a universal authenticator.

  1. Promises privacy

Whenever you open your phone with a fingerprint lock or face lock, it verifies the obtained pattern with the stored pattern in your machine. As these patterns include a great amount of information that can be used to identify the person, losing it to any cyberattack will be a great risk.

On the other hand, a password does not have anything personal that can identify you. It is a simple string of characters that could have popped into the mind of any individual. This aspect of passwords promises security.

Benefits of biometrics

  1. Faster. One of the key aspects that makes biometrics like fingerprints, facial recognition, and iris scanning preferable over passwords is speed. With these, you can unlock your devices within seconds, while passwords may take a little longer. And who knows if you remember your password or not.
  2. No hassle to remember. With biometrics, you do not need to remember anything. All it takes is to run a scan. With passwords, you might need to juggle dozens of passwords for each account. 
  3. No match at all. As everyone has a unique set of fingerprints, facial patterns, and iris structure, there is no possibility that biometrics of two or more could be the same. On the other hand, 1234 is a password that many people can use just to save time. 

From all of this, we can deduce that both passwords and biometrics have their pros and cons. It is the reason you have both a biometric and password login system on your smartphones and laptops. Users can choose what they are comfortable with or use both for convenience. 

What if biometrics entirely replaces passwords?

For once, let’s assume that passwords are entirely replaced by biometrics. It will surely bring benefits and convenience.

On the other hand, biometrics will also increase certain risks. As your biometric data is stored on company servers, it is likely that the data could be compromised. In other cases, your connection could be intercepted, and the data (including biometrics) you exchange might be stolen or altered. Besides using a Virtual Private Network to secure your connections, you might need to go that extra mile. While a VPN will protect your data online, it won’t reassure that others will keep it safe. For instance, it would be best to store biometrics locally, meaning on users’ devices as opposed to external sources. 

After all, you can always change passwords. However, you cannot change your fingerprints.

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