Review of Biometric Authentication Methods

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Bio metrics Authentication methods: Review of biometics authentication system, Types, Benefits and Short coming facing biometics authentication Methods.

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Biometric Authentication: A
Review of methods of biometric
authentication System
Security Policy Standard and Management
INF 806

Odegbesan Omobolaji Ayomide
A00018467

Introduction
In the present world there is a high level of Personality theft and loss of valuable
information either to unauthorised individuals or permanently due to poor security
technology or policies (Kay, 2005).

There

are

various

types’

security

technologies used to identify individuals ranging from biometrics down to password.
Biometrics is one of the most secured form of user identification been used recently
in the private and cooperate environment. In this essay, a review of the different
type’s biometric authentication methods would be done, the next section describes
the major setbacks and the major Benefits biometric authentication method will be
done.
Biometrics authentication
The method of confirming that an individual is who they claim to be is known as
authentication (Foundation, 2015), while The process of evaluating and calibrating
human biological characteristics data is known as Biometrics, it’s an applied science
that involves the measurement and evaluation of human body characteristics which
include Hand measurements, irises, voice pattern, facial patterns, DNA, fingerprints
and eye retinas for authentication purposes (Rouse, 2009). The acceptance of
authentication system as increased in the both the public and private (corporate)
security system. Biometrics is one out of many authentication method. It involves
the use of one or more physical traits for people or persons identification. There are
various forms of authentication method, which involve several different user
attribute. ‘’Authentication method can be based on each on this entity’’ (Bishop,
2005):





‘’What the user has , (such as key, card, Token)
What the user is (Such as finger print, eye retina, irises)
Where the user is ( Such as MAC address, IP address, in a particular location)
What the user knows ( Such as Secret information, password)’’
(Bishop, 2005)

For every of the authentication method they all have their benefit and there
challenges i.e. There is no perfect authentication method, each situation as its own
perfect authentication methods.

Types of Biometrics
‘’Biometrics is the automated measurement of biological or behavioral features that
identify a person’’ (B.Miller, 1994) . Biometrics method can be divided into two main
groups which are: The Behavioral Biometric method which include behavioural
pattern (the way a person acts) and the Physical biometric method which include
biological traits of an Individual e.g. facial pattern, finger prints etc. (Robinson,
2011).
1. Behavioural Biometrics
a) Keystrokes
The Keystrokes biometrics is also known as typing recognition, In
keystroke method of recognition the analysis of a person’s typing style,
pattern and spacing of word is been used as a method of authentication.
This method is been used to identify fraudsters or hackers actions on the
internet. The Keystroke program analyzes and stores the user typing style
and pattern (Characteristics). The performance of this method of
authentication depend on the user as various type of keystrokes or
pattern on the same keyboard would create a variance in the typing
recognition been analysed (Stonecypher, 2011).
b) Signature
Signature analysis can also be classified as a biometric authentication
method. It as a device which consist of a physical screen and a pen, the
user uses the pen to perform a signature on the device screen. The
signature pattern, the pressure amassed on the pen and the time it took
the user to write the signature are the major parameter computed and
stored. A distinctive authentication method is be provided by the system
with the used of the computed parameters. This method of authentication
is quite cheap and easy to use and a secure authentication because of the
parameter involved in it computation (Institute, n.d.).
c) Gait
Gait is a new method of biometric authentication method with would be
one of the major authentication method that would be used in the future.

This method of authentication analyzes the movement pattern of a person
i.e. the manner at which a person walks. A high sensor camera is used to
record the walking pattern of a user by computing the angular and
mathematical function disposition of the hands, legs and the balancing of
the body while moving. This method provide a good authentication for an
individual, the major drawback of this method presently is that it is
expensive (Wikipedia, 2015).
2. Physiological Biometric
a) Fingerprints
This is the most common and the oldest form of authentication. This
method of authentication involve the use of an individual finger print in
other to authenticate them. An optical fingerprint scanner is been used to
analyze and store the ridges and valleys found on the surface tip of an
individual in other to authenticate them. This form of authentication is
cheap and easy to use as it does not require any sophisticated or complex
hardware or software, but its major drawback is that it’s not very secure
as compared to other forms of authentication because an individual
fingerprint can easily be copied or cloned through touched object
(clocking, 2015).
b) Voice
Voice Biometric (Voice print) Is a method of authentication where an
individual voice i.e. voice print is been used for his/her identification. Like
fingerprint, hand print or iris human have a unique voice frequency and
pattern and rhythm. “Voice biometric of voice print is the analysis and
numerical representation of an individual’s sound, pattern and rhythm”
(Authentify, 2015). This analysis, representation are been computed and
used to authenticate an individual. This method of authentication provides
a high level of security for individual as it is hard to clone or copy a
person’s speech frequency but it can be affected by background noise,
poor quality recording.
c) DNA(Deoxyribonucleic acid)
A human DNA contains 23 pairs of chromosome, one pair of the
chromosomal is inherited from an individual’s mother while the other pair
is inherited or transferred from the father. Every cell in the human body
contains a DNA and this contains an individual unique identity and
information. “DNA can be collected from any number of sources: blood,

hair, finger nails, blood stains, saliva, and from other sources that has
been attached to the body at some time” (ex-sigh, 2009).
The DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is one of the most accurate form of
identifying an individual because every human as a very unique DNA and
this makes it extremely accurate, this method of authentication is
commonly used in the identification of a criminal or a suspect. This form of
authentication is time consuming, it’s an expensive method (ex-sigh,
2009).
d) Eye
The eye Biometric authentication method involves the uses of eye
characteristics in the authentication of an individual. There are two
different types of eye biometrics presently used, they are based on
different eye characteristics, and the two types are called iris and retinal
scanning. This two types of eye biometrics are also knows as ocular-based
identification technologies, they both are based on the physiological
characteristics of an individual’s eye in other to identify them (Trader,
2012).
Type of Eye Biometrics
1) Retina scan:
This type of eye biometrics involves the use of the vein pattern in
the eye of an individual to identify them, a laser is used to analyze,
compute and store the pattern of the retina blood vessel in the eye
of an individual (Trader, 2012).
2) Iris Scan :
In this type of biometric authentication the pattern of the iris is
been use for the authentication of an individual. ‘’This method uses
the mathematical pattern recognition techniques on video images
of

the irides of

an

individual’s eyes,

whose

complex

random

patterns are unique and can be seen from some distance’’ (Trader,
2012).
e) Face Biometric
This method of authentication involves the analysis of the facial image of
an individual, the facial image of an individual is computed and store in a
database and been used to authenticate an individual. This method of
authentication is quite cheap as compared to other methods of

authentication but is not as accurate and secure as the other method of
authentication (Institute, n.d.).
f) Handprint
This form of authentication involves the use of an individual handprint. A
scanner is been used to extract the picture image of an individual’s
handprint which is been analyzed and stored on a data base. In this
method characteristics like the length, width, distance between the
fingers amongst other hand characteristics are been used in the
authentication process. This method is easy to use but it is not as secured
as compared to other method of biometric authentication, an individual
hand print can easily be taken and used to fool the scanner (Institute,
n.d.).
Major Benefits and Major Shortcomings of Biometrics authentication
system
Benefits
1. One of the major advantages of biometric authentication method is that
biometric characteristics can’t be stolen, guessed, lost or forgotten i.e. this
characteristics are permanent and can’t be damaged or destroyed.
2. Biometrics in its self is secure in that in that it can’t be shared, social
engineered, transferred or used by another user.
3. They are very convenient to use and they don’t require any special skill or
any brain task before they can be used
4. They provide a high level of security and authentication for individuals and
organization
Shortcomings
1. A major drawback of biometric authentication method is that there is lack of
standard in it between its various types (lack of standardization).
2. Biometric authentication are not idea or perfect yet, a lot of improvement still
needs to be done on this authentication method in other to make it perfect.
3. Biometric authentication system is an expensive method of authentication
system
4. Biometrics systems have a high level of limitation i.e. A physically impaired
individual in any way won’t be able to use some biometric system for
example an individual with a damage eye won’t be able to uses the eye

authentication system. Another example is individuals with no hand of
damaged hand won’t be able to use the hand or fingerprint authentication
system.
Conclusion
Biometric authentication system provide a high level of security, as security secure
as this systems may be the have a lot of limitation which need to be improved upon.
Each Biometric system type as its own benefit and drawback which imply that in
choosing a biometric system an individual needs to consider both the benefit and
drawbacks of each biometric system to see which one is suitable for usage. Ethics
and morals are put in place for biometrics system in other to regulate and control
people when using biometrics system but if this ethics and morals are been met the
system becomes a very good and secure means of authenticating people. Biometric
system is an imminent means of authenticating individual but a lot of technical and
ethical development is been done in other to make a perfect authentication system.

References
Authentify. (2015, 02 30). Authentify, Inc. Retrieved from Authentify, Inc.:
http://authentify.com/solutions/authentication-concepts/voice-biometricauthentication/
B.Miller. (1994). Vital signs of Identity. IEEE Spectrum.
Bishop, M. (2005). Introduction to Computer Security. Boston : Pearson Education .
clocking, E. (2015, 2 5). Easy clocking Corporation. Retrieved from Easy clocking :
http://www.bioelectronix.com/what_is_biometrics.html
ex-sigh. (2009, 8 6). ex-sigh. Retrieved from ex-sigh website: http://www.exsight.com/biometric.htm
Foundation, A. S. (2015, 2 5). The Apache Software Foundation. Retrieved from
Apache : http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/howto/auth.html
Institute, B. (n.d.). Biometrics Institute Limited. Retrieved from Biometrics Institute :
http://www.biometricsinstitute.org/pages/types-of-biometrics.html
Kay, R. (2005, 4 4). Computerworld, Inc. Retrieved from Computer World :
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2556908/security0/biometricauthentication.html
Portal, B. N. (2015, 2 3). Biometric News Portal. Retrieved from biometricnewsportal:
http://www.biometricnewsportal.com/dna_biometrics.asp

Robinson, S. (2011, 8 17). Bright Hub Inc . Retrieved from Brighthub inc web site :
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/smb-security/articles/63325.aspx
Rouse, M. (2009, 10 12). Tech Target. Retrieved from Tech Target:
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/biometrics
Stonecypher, L. (2011, 8 17). Bright Hub. Retrieved from Bright Hub web Site:
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/smb-security/articles/63325.aspx
Trader, J. (2012, 06 11). M2SYS Technology. Retrieved from M2SYS Technology web
site: http://blog.m2sys.com/biometric-hardware/iris-recognition-vs-retinascanning-what-are-the-differences/
Wikipedia. (2015, 06 07). Wikipedia free encyclopedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gait

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