What is biometric security?

Biometric security is a security mechanism used to authenticate and provide access to a facility or system based on the automatic and instant verification of an individual’s physical characteristics. It involves using biometric security software to automatically recognise people based on their behavioural or biological char­acteristics. The biometric technology currently used most often in physical access control is fingerprint recognition because of its lower price.

Because biometric security evaluates an individual’s bodily elements or biological data, it is the strongest and most foolproof physical security technique used for identity verification.

How does biometric security work?

Biometric security is mainly implemented in environments with critical physical security requirements or that are highly prone to identity theft. Biometric security-based systems or engines store human body characteristics that do not change over an individual’s lifetime. These include fingerprints, eye texture, voice, hand patterns and facial recognition.

An individual’s body characteristics are pre-stored in a biometric security system or scanner, which may be accessed by authorized personnel. When an individual walks into a facility or tries to gain access to a system, the biometric scanner evaluates his/her physical characteristics, which are matched with stored records. If a match is located, the individual is granted access.

What are the advantages of biometric security?

One of the key benefits of biometric security devices is that they can help to increase your protection. It’s much harder, for example, to clone or steal a fingerprint than an access card.

In situations where you need to increase security, biometrics can also be used for multifactor verification. After someone’s presented their badge, for example, they then need to present their fingerprint to verify that they are who they claim to be. This is safer than using a PIN for verification as that can easily be passed to other people.

Biometric security systems can also offer users more convenience. It’s easy to forget a card or key, but you always have your biometrics with you. And if the identifier allows handsfree or long-distance recognition, the convenience levels increase further – you may be allowed to enter your building simply by having your face scanned as you pass the entrance.

Are biometric security tokens available?

Yes, the following are a few biometric security tokens available:

• Ensurity ThinC-AUTH
• AuthenTrend ATKey.Card
• AuthenTrend ATKey.Pro USB Type-A Nano
• AuthenTrend ATKey.Pro USB Type C Nano