Biometric Security Systems

Kislaya Srivastava1, Manish Kumar2 MIETE,

1- Final Year Department of E & C Engg. Northern India Engineering College Lucknow
2- Asst. Prof. & Head E & C Department Northern India Engineering College, Lucknow
kislayji@rediffmail.com , hodec_nieclko@rediffmail.com
Abstract- The word biometric can be
defined as "Life - Measure". A well
orchestrated biometric authentication
solution not only prevents and detects
an imposter but also keeps a secure log
of transaction activities for prosecution
of imposters. This paper provides an
overview of the various types of
biometric technologies present in
civilian and military domains, their
applications, advantages and
disadvantages. The paper also
describes the future prospects of
biometric security systems.
Keywords-Identification, Verification,
False Accept Rate (FAR), False Reject
Rate (FRR).
Introduction- The present day world
is obsessed with security. It is easy to
understand the need for biometrics if
you've ever forgot or left your network
password on your computer. There is
an increasing need to find a way to
solve user identification issues and cut
costs for password administration.
There are many reasons to consider
this form of personal identification.
For each reason, authenticating
ourselves by who we are and not what
we know, what we carry, or how we
choose to identify ourselves (i.e. PINs,
passwords, smart card security token)
solves and simplifies these issues.
Biometrics combined with other
automation can eliminate our sole
reliance on a paper trail for a given
transaction or event.
The biometric authentication system
cannot fall prey to hackers; it can’t be
shared, lost or guessed. Therefore it is
an efficient way to replace the
traditional password based
authentication system.
Biometric Classification
Biometric characteristics can be
divided in two main categories
physiological and behavioral. The
biometric systems consist of three
basic elements:
Enrollment is the process of collecting
biometric samples from an individual
known as enrollee and subsequent
generation of his template.
Template is the data representing the
enrollee’s biometric.
Matching is the process of comparing
the live biometric sample against one
or many templates in the system’s
database.
Characteristics for identification-
1. The physical characteristic should
not change over the course of the
person's lifetime
2. The physical characteristics must
identify the individual person
uniquely.
3. The characteristic needs to be
easily scanned with immediate
results.
4. The data must be simply checked
in an automated way.
5. Ease of use by system operators
and individuals.
While there are many possible
biometrics, at least eight mainstream
biometric technologies have been
deployed which are classified into two
major categories Contact and non
Contact biometric. Contact Biometric
can be sub classified as Fingerprint,
hand/ finger geometry, Dynamic
signature verification, Keystroke
dynamics. The non contact biometric
technologies may be sub classified as
Facial Recognition, Voice recognition,
Iris scan, Retinal Scan.
Fingerprint biometric takes an image
of a person's fingertips and records its
characteristics. This information may
then be processed or stored as an
image or as an encoded computer
algorithm to be compared with other
fingerprint records. This Technique
finds applications in Law enforcement,
fraud prevention and Computer access.
Hand geometry involves the
measurement and analysis of the shape
of one's hand. It is a fairly simple
procedure and is surprisingly accurate.
Though it requires special hardware to
use, it can be easily integrated into
other devices or systems. Unlike
fingerprints, the human hand isn't
unique. Individual hand features are
not descriptive enough for
identification. However, it is possible
to devise a method by combining
various individual features and
measurements of fingers and hands for
verification purposes. Signature
verification is the process used to
recognize an individual’s hand-written
signature. It uses the behavioral
biometrics of a hand written signature
to confirm the identity of a computer
user. This is done by analyzing the
shape, speed, stroke, pen pressure and
timing information during the act of
signing.
In Keystroke Dynamics the manner and
rhythm in which an individual types
characters is analyzed to develop a
unique biometric template of the users
typing pattern for future authentication.
It is used to verify or even try to
determine the identity of the person
who is producing those keystrokes.
Facial recognition system is a
computer-driven application for
automatically identifying or verifying a
person from a digital still or video
images by comparing selected facial
features in the live image and a facial
database.Voice recognition is the
process of determining which
registered speaker provides a given
utterance or "voiceprint". Voice or
speaker recognition uses vocal
characteristics to identify individuals
using a pass phrase (password).Iris
recognition combines computer vision,
pattern recognition, statistical
inference, and optics. Its purpose is
real-time, high confidence recognition
of a person's identity by mathematical
analysis of the random patterns that are
visible within the iris of an eye from
some distance. Iris scans are extremely
accurate. Retinal scanning analyses the
layer of blood vessels at the back of
the eye.
Retina Scan
It involves using a low-intensity light
source and an optical coupler and can
read the patterns at a great level of
accuracy. It does require the user to
remove glasses, place their eye close to
the device, and focus on a certain
point. Retina scan devices are great
long-term, high-security options.
Emerging Biometric Technologies-
An emerging biometric is in infancy
stage of technological maturation.
Once proven, an emerging biometric
will evolve into an established
biometric. Some examples include
Brainwave biometric, DNA
identification, Vascular pattern
recognition, Body Odour recognition,
Fingernail bed recognition, Gait
recognition, Handgrip recognition, Ear
pattern recognition, Body salinity
identification, Infrared fingertip
imaging and pattern recognition.
Brainwave biometric Brainwaves
resolve into nothing more then
recognizable patterns. If we could
identify at least one pattern that was
unique, unchanging, and monotonous,
then we would have a security protocol
of peerless supremacy. Such a solution
could not be stolen or easily duplicated
and could theoretical be applied to all
people, to include mobility challenged
individuals.
Depiction of EEG Brain waveforms
DNA Identification DNA is a unique
and measurable human characteristic
that is accepted by society as absolute
evidence of one’s identity with a near
probability of 99.999% accuracy.
Scientists use a small number of
sequences of DNA that are known to
greatly vary among individuals in
order to ascertain the probability of a
match.
Body odor recognition is a contact less
physical biometric that attempts too
confirm a person’s identity by
analyzing the olfactory properties of
the human body scent. Each chemical
of the human scent is extracted by the
biometric system and converted into a
unique data string which is analyzed
by sensors. Gait Recognition Is a
behavior biometric that attempts to
recognize people by the manner in
which they walk and/or run. Gait
recognition or gait signature as it is
sometime referred to; it uses a radar
system to capture the subject in
motion. Georgia Tech Research
Institute are building a new radar
system that can identify people from
up to 500 feet away during the day,
night, and all-weather conditions.
Handgrip Recognition Advanced
Biometrics Incorporated invented this
technology, with hope of it one day
being used to prevent unauthorized use
of handguns. It is the hope of handgun
manufactures to create a smart
handgun that will only recognize
authorized users. Handgrip technology
focuses on the internal part of the hand
by analyzing the unique subcutaneous
tissues, blood vessel patterns, veins,
arteries and fatty tissues of a hand in a
gripped position.
Vascular patterns: are best described
as a picture of the veins in a person's
hand or face. The thickness and
location of these veins are believed to
be unique enough to an individual to
be used to verify a person's identity.
Vein scanners use near-infrared light
to reveal the patterns in a person’s
veins.
Ear Pattern Recognition The shape of
the outer ear, lobes, bone structure and
the size are unique to each person. Ear
pattern recognition is employed as a
physical Contactless biometric and
uses an Optophone to verify the shape
of the ear. A French company, ART
Techniques, developed the Optophone
and the process. It is a telephone type
handset, which is comprised of two
components (lighting source and
cameras).Body salinity biometric an
individual’s salinity level of salt in the
body is believed to be unique. This
technology passing a tiny electrical
current through the body in order to
analysis the salt content. The more salt
in the body, the more conductive the
body becomes to electricity. As the
electrical current passes through the
body it can also carry data at a transfer
rates equivalent to a 2400-baud
modem. This technology could be
used to facilitate communication
between cell phones, watches.
Fingernail bed recognition The system
scans the dermal structure under the
fingernails. The human nail bed is a
unique longitudinal structure that is
made up of nearly parallel rows of
vascular rich skin with parallel dermal
structures in between narrow channel
Magnification of Human Nail Bed
Disadvantages of Biometric Systems:
People with disability may have
problems with contact biometrics.
The truth is that the security codes and
the passwords used in the ATMs,
Phone lock and credit and debit cards
are a supplement to the biometric
security systems. The biometric
solutions are going to play a very big
role in near future. So it is best that one
puts in a bit of an effort to field test the
various biometric solutions.
Biometric Applications: Most
biometric applications fall into one of
the nine general categories:
1. Financial services ( ATM)
2. Immigration and border control
(passport and visa issuance)
3. Social services(fraud detection)
4. Health care
5. Physical access control
6. Time and attendance
7. Computer security (e-commerce)
8. Telecommunications (mobile)
9. Law enforcement (national ID)
Performance Parameters
False accept rate (FAR) or false match
rate (FMR): the probability that the
system incorrectly declares a
successful match between the input
pattern and a non-matching pattern in
the database. It measures the percent of
invalid matches.
False reject rate (FRR) or false non-
match rate (FNMR): the probability
that the system incorrectly declares
failure of match between the input
pattern and the matching template in
the database. It measures the percent of
valid inputs being rejected.
Equal error rate (EER): The rates at
which both accept and reject errors are
equal.
Failure to capture rate (FTC): Within
automatic systems, the probability that
the system fails to detect a biometric
characteristic when presented
correctly.
Verification: does the template match
the input sample? (A 1:1 match) A pre-
stored template is matched against a
sample directly, e.g. a card or known
database entry.
Identification: what is the input
sample? (A 1: N match) where N is the
total number of entries in the database.
It is a process of identifying from all
the templates which one is the closest
match to the input sample.
Conclusion-
Biometrics can do a lot more than just
determine whether someone has access
to walk through a particular door.
Some hospitals use biometric systems
to make sure mothers take home the
right newborns. Experts have also
advised people to scan their vital
documents, like birth certificates and
social security cards, and store them in
biometrically-secured flash memory in
the event of a national emergency.
Here are some biometric technologies
you might see in the future:
New methods that use DNA, nail bed
structure, teeth, ear shapes, body odor,
skin patterns and blood pulses, More
accurate home-use systems, Opt-in
club memberships, frequent buyer
programs and rapid checkout systems
with biometric security, More
prevalent biometric systems in place of
passports at border crossings and
airports.
Nowadays Banks are contemplating
putting Biometric Systems on the
ATM cards to ensure no imposters are
able to withdraw money even after
knowing the password.
mediums (i.e. CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW,
flash memory). The end result would
be that only the legitimate owner of
might access the work of art.
Think of biometrics as a key! Yes… A
key, it can open doors for you and
provides security to keep others out. It
is a key that can be customized to an
individual’s access needs. You can use
a biometric to access your home, your
account, or to invoke a customized
setting for any secure area /application.
References-
www.biometrics.org
http://www.dodcounterdrug.com/
facialrecognition/
http://www.ins.gov/graphics/
lawenfor/bmgmt/inspect/inspass.htm.

A biometric security smart Card

The United Kingdom has already

started the Distribution of Biometric
Passports to prevent forgery and check
imposters.
A major use of biometrics can be in
protecting the copyright privileges of
music, movies, and software creators.
A biometric algorithm could be
employed to encrypt and decrypt
media stored on a multitude of