| Home | Syllabus | Title Page | Introduction | How Biometrics is used | How Computers Read Biometrics | Issues of Biometrics | Conclusion | Bibliography |
How do computer systems verify that a user is in fact who they say they are? This is typically done through the following three methods:
The most common way of authenticating a user is by something they know. Oftentimes this is processed with an account name and password. However, these can be fairly easy to guess or hack into, especially if one is forgetful and leaves the account logged on or chooses to write down the password and it is misplaced into the hands of a malicious person. As a result of this, a newer way to verify the authenticity of an individual had to be created. This is done by something they have, and can be seen by the technology of RFID (radio-frequency identification). A prime example in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area of this is the SmartTrip card. When the card is placed on the reader it verifies the account information placed on the chip. However, because these cards are usually no larger than a credit card they are easily lost. Therefore, there needs to be a more improved option to verify the authenticity of the user. The third way to authenticate the identity of someone is through something they are,or the use of biometrics. Biometrics is the “methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical traits (Steinberg, 2008, p. 443). The most well known traits for humans are fingerprints, voice recognition, iris scanners, and face recognition. Because it is a distinct and unique part that is only found in that individual, it is impossible to lose and impossible to forget, thus making it a big contender in the future of information security.