Biometric Authentication: What it is and the different types

Biometric authentication allows people to securely log into devices and accounts by using their fingerprints, face, or iris. Biometric authentication has become significant in modern information technology (IT) and security practices because it provides highly secure and user-friendly access control.

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This article will cover how biometric authentication works, its benefits, use cases, and possible future applications.

Understanding biometric authentication

A recent survey reported 95% of consumers believe biometric authentication to be the most secure way to protect online accounts.¹ Biometric authentication is frequently used by financial services, healthcare providers, and government services.

• Biometric authentication verifies an individual’s identity by comparing unique physical traits against a person’s pre-provided features to ensure access is granted only to the right person.
• Fingerprints can be used because every person’s are different. Stored facial features provide another way to help identify individuals. And iris scans rely on the unique nature of each human eye for secure personal identification.
• Biometric authentication works to deliver higher security because it’s based on intrinsic physical or behavioural characteristics. This makes it more difficult for scammers and thieves to "break in" to someone's personal data. Further, biometrics won't get forgotten, guessed, or stolen the way traditional passwords or PINs can.

How biometric authentication works

Here’s how biometric authentication technically operates through its core processes.

• Enrolment. This is the initial step where a person provides a scan of their fingerprint, face, or iris so it can be securely stored in a database. The data serves as the reference for all future matching attempts.
• Matching. Then, when the individual tries to sign in with their fingerprint, the system captures their biometric data again to compare against the record stored in the database.
• Authentication. The person is granted access if the newly captured data matches the stored reference data.

Anyone who has recently bought a new smartphone or laptop computer may be familiar with some of these steps, as they’re often a regular part of setting up a new device.

Benefits of biometric authentication

Technology companies and platforms may increasingly use biometric authentication over traditional security measures. Biometric authentication provides:

• Enhanced security. Fingerprints or iris patterns are nearly impossible to replicate. This makes biometric authentication significantly more secure against unauthorised access, compared to traditional PIN and password methods.
• Convenience and speed. Biometric authentication eliminates the need to remember and enter passwords or PINs, often allowing access with a simple fingertip press.
• Fraud prevention. Tying access to people's unique physical traits can thwart thieves and scammers. Only an authenticated user can access their account.

Consider fingerprint scanners on laptops, for example. If a thief steals a laptop configured for fingerprint access, they will struggle to unlock the device.

Applications of biometric authentication

Given the benefits, numerous sectors and industries have begun to incorporate biometric authentication into their security setups. For example:

• Financial services use it to secure access to banking apps and ATMs, enhancing safety and allowing customers to use fingerprints or facial recognition instead of PINs or passwords.
• Healthcare services use it to protect and restrict sensitive patient records, improving privacy and reducing the risk of medical identity theft using fingerprints or iris scans.
• Border control agencies use it to verify the identities of tourists and migrants at border points, supporting national security by accurately identifying individuals.