What Is Biometric Data?

In this age when everything is digitized and can be accessed online, including sensitive information, it’s essential to safeguard each and every person’s identity. One instrument being used to promote security is biometric data. In this article, we’ll explore biometric data and how it helps with online security and protecting confidential information.

What is biometric data?

Biometric data pertains to any information created mainly for authentication or simply to identify an individual. This data is derived from the biological characteristics of someone that are measurable and unique, allowing for adequate confirmation of someone’s identity.

What are the types of biometric data?

Biometric data can be categorized into the following:

• Physical

Physical data refers to biometric information based on a person’s physical characteristics. This includes fingerprints, retinal scans, facial features, and many more.

• Behavioral

Behavioral data pertains to biometric information based on an individual’s behavioral patterns. This includes typing rhythm, voice tone, signature patterns, and others.

What are the applications of biometric data?

Many industries and organizations use biometric data for diverse purposes. Some of these intents are as follows:

• Identification

An individual’s biometric data is significantly unique from person to person. That’s why biometric data can authenticate someone’s identity, ensuring that only authorized people can access specific resources or information. One example is Apple’s Face ID, introduced in iPhone X in 2017 and has since become the standard for authenticating device users of select Apple products.

• Access control

Facilities that require strict security may use biometric data to manage access control of people who need legitimate permission to enter specific premises. Military bases and laboratories commonly utilize biometric data to enforce restricted access to sensitive areas or materials.

• Financial transactions

Certain financial transactions use biometric data to facilitate secure and convenient authentication. These transactions may include ATM withdrawals, in-store payments, online banking login, etc. This method ensures that financial transactions are made legitimately by authorized account owners.

• Device ownership

Some companies implementing work-from-home or hybrid setups may utilize biometric data when issuing devices to their employees. This also happens when they are using BYOD or a “bring your own device” program. This adds additional security to a company’s data, ensuring that sensitive information can only be accessed by their employees.

What are the benefits of biometric data?

Here are some advantages of biometric data that make it beneficial for individuals and organizations:

• Enhanced security

Biometric data is commonly unique to each individual. This makes it hard for bad actors to replicate this information, reducing the forgery or theft of biometric data.

• Convenience

Many individuals may find remembering passwords cumbersome. Authenticating them using their unique identifiers as “passkeys” can be easier. Physical biometric data such as fingerprints or facial features are always readily available to authenticate themselves by whatever system they are using.

• Improved accuracy

Authenticators can indeed be precise in identifying the uniqueness of an individual’s biometric data. Take Apple’s Optic ID for their Vision Pro as an example. According to the tech giant, the probability of a random person unlocking your Apple Vision Pro is 1 in 1,000,000. This demonstrates a significant leap in security compared to other methods. This dramatic improvement in accuracy strengthens the argument that biometric data can be a reliable and secure way to verify someone’s identity.

• Streamlined processes

Biometric data can streamline processes that require identification or authentication. For example, biometric border crossings can help reduce travelers’ wait times.

What are the limitations of biometric data?

While biometric data provides many benefits, there may also be some disadvantages that can raise concerns. These concerns include:

• Privacy concerns

Some may be concerned about the collection and storage of such information. Fingerprints, facial features, and iris uniqueness are biometric data directly associated with an individual’s identity. The idea that an organization or a computer system stores this unique information may be something that would make others worry about their privacy.

• Security vulnerability

Since biometric data is unique to each person, they cannot be changed, unlike passwords. If a security breach happens and these compromised biometric data, bad actors may get a hold of this information and try replicating it. They can then use the data to commit fraud and identity theft.

• Accuracy limitations

Biometric systems can make mistakes due to sensor limitations, environmental conditions, or changes in a person’s physiology. Additionally, algorithm biases can lead to higher error rates for specific groups.

Conclusion

Biometric data is information that utilizes an individual’s unique physical and behavioral characteristics. It can be digitized and stored to authenticate an identity. Biometric data is very useful for organizations, especially for enforcing security. While biometric data may have downsides, it’s still a significant leap forward in security, streamlining processes, and potentially even personalization.