Biometric Technology
Have you ever seen a device that worked solely by reading your thumbprint? Maybe you've used a hand scanner to gain access to a building, or maybe you've seen those retina scanners somewhere, whether at a security complex or on a movie screen. In case you've ever wondered what they were, they are examples of a technology known as biometrics.
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Background
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Biometric technology is a method of analyzing a part of a person's body. The parts and amount of a person's body to be read varies, based on what devices and sizes are available. Typical body parts analyzed include thumbprints, hand prints and parts of the eye (which typically include the cornea, iris, retina or a combination of the three.) Some scanners are also capable of scanning a person's entire face.
How It Works
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Typically a scanner reads a part of your body, such as a hand, thumb or eye, and analyzes the shape of the body part. Once the analysis is complete, the scanner takes the result and compares it to a database of profiles authorized to access the area or resource being protected by the biometric scanner. If the user's result fits with a stored profile, they are allowed access. If not, they are denied. The mistake rate of the scanner, if the company so wanted it, could be 0%, allowing for nothing other than what exactly matched the allowed profile.
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Advantages
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Biometrics offers a key to use that would be incredibly difficult to lose: one's body. This effectively eliminates problems created by losing keys or security cards. Furthermore, by not allowing access to anyone that does not have the person's exact body part, security is increased because there's no key that can be stolen and only the authorized user can gain access to the system.
Disadvantages
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Biometrics are expensive, with some systems at $1,000 just to start. They can also be difficult to set up and configure as well. There is also the chance of a false denial, meaning that an authorized user may be denied access because the scan doesn't fit the result. Typically these problems emerge due to age, injury or disease, and systems should be regularly updated and maintained to prevent this from happening.
Security
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Special consideration should be given to biometrics and security. It's important for the user to realize that there is no such thing as a 100% secure system. While biometric technology provides a method of security that is incredibly strong, it too can be manipulated and bypassed. The TV show Mythbusters showed that because of residue from thumbprints on a scanner, all someone would have to do is blow onto a scanner or use tape to trick the scanner into thinking that the user was authorized.
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