In today’s modern-day and age, people are using high-tech devices on a daily basis at work and at home. One of the main characteristics of today’s devices is biometric authentication. In other words, a software that recognizes the physical features of people in order to authenticate them and allow them access to various software and devices. One of the everyday examples of biometric authentication and security is the unlocking of a smartphone with a fingerprint.

It’s safe to say that this form of authentication is becoming very popular in companies and other, everyday aspects of life. Most people are pleased with the benefits of this method, but there are others who are trying to warn people about the possible dangers and risks of biometrics. This is exactly why today we are going to talk about the main advantages and disadvantages of biometric security.

Types Of Biometric Security

Before we get into the advantages and disadvantages, we are going to talk about the types of biometrics that are used today. Here are a few examples.

• Fingerprint Biometrics - The patterns on a person's fingers are unique. This is why fingerprint biometrics are used to verify smartphone users.

• Behavioral Biometrics - This one is a little bit more complex. Behavioral biometrics use patterns in a person’s behavior. Things like keystroke patterns and computer mouse movements or other behavioral characteristics to identify them.

• Ear Biometrics - Much like a fingerprint, a person's ear has unique features. This is exactly why this method has the same results as the fingerprint identification.

• Voice Biometrics - There aren’t two people with the same voice. This is why the voice recognition systems are 90% accurate on average.

• Facial Recognition Biometrics - When looked at in detail, an individual's face is unique. This is why it can be used to identify them.

Let’s talk about the pros and cons of biometric security.

The Advantages

Better Security

The good thing about biometric security is the fact that it requires a real human feature to identify a user. For example, if a person is using their fingerprint to access files, no one else, but them can access those files simply because fingerprints are non-transferrable. Hackers might find out the name of the person’s dog, but they can’t get through fingerprint authentication. This is exactly what makes biometric security a much more secure option. This kind of security also protects users from artificial intelligence. To put it plainly, robots don’t have irises or fingerprints.

It’s Convenient For Users

Sure the process of biometric security is complicated. But all of that is happening behind the camera. From a user’s point of view, placing a finger on a scanner and unlocking an account in just a few seconds is more convenient than typing a long password. Also, a person can forget their password, but they can’t forget their fingerprint.

Hackers Can’t Fake Biometric Authentication

Biometrics like face patterns, fingerprints, and iris scanning simply can’t be faked with the technology we have today. This is why people who use this type of authentication usually have peace of mind.

The Disadvantages

It’s Pricey

Like with many things in technology, the cost is one of the main reasons why companies are simply not ready to use biometric security. This is a very sophisticated technology and if a company wants to use it for security purposes, it has to invest a lot of money. Unfortunately, not a lot of companies and organizations are able to afford biometric authentication.

There Are Ways For Hackers To Get In

Even though the risk of hacker attacks is reduced, there are still ways for hackers to get in and steal data. This is especially true for those biometric authentication methods that use fingerprints and behavioral characteristics.

The Risk Of Tracking

 It’s safe to say that one of the main risks of biometric authentication is the violation of privacy. When providing the software with their physical characteristics like facial features or fingerprints, people are aware that this data can be used to track them with or without their knowledge. This is one of the main reasons why a lot of people are uncomfortable with biometric authentication.

Conclusion

Biometric authentication has been used for making passports and personal IDs for a long time. However, the use of this technology on a daily basis in companies and in everyday aspects of life can be a bit confusing for regular people. Truth is that this technology offers better security and convenience, but it can also be used to harm people by violating their privacy. At the end of the day, we can only say that this is an important debate for our society. This technology has a lot of good things to offer, there’s no question about it. However, we have to make sure that the government and other institutions use it only for good things.