The growth of biometrics

Access & Identity Management Handbook 2018 Access Control & Identity Management

Biometric verification is the future, we live in a time where a person can be uniquely identified by evaluating one or more distinguishing biological traits. Unique identifiers include fingerprints, hand geometry, earlobe geometry, retina and iris patterns, DNA, etc. Biometric verification has advanced considerably with the advent of computerised databases and the digitisation of analogue data, allowing for almost instantaneous personal identification.

Iris-pattern and retina-pattern authentication methods are already employed in some bank automated teller machines. Hand geometry is being used in some industries to provide physical access to buildings. Earlobe geometry has been used to disprove the identity of individuals who claim to be someone they are not (identity theft). Facial recognition technology has been used by law enforcement to pick out individuals in large crowds with considerable reliability.

No matter what biometric methodology is used, the identification verification process remains the same. A record of a person’s unique characteristic is captured and kept in a database. Later, when identification verification is required, a new record is captured and compared with the previous record in the database. If the data in the new record matches that in the database, the person’s identity is confirmed.

Many biometric systems are developed for security applications. From bank accounts to personal profiles, passwords have become the default option for verifying a user’s identity. Governments and organisations use biometric systems to get more information about individuals or about a populace.

Some new biometric programs are now using information that’s more abstract, what you might call ‘physical-behavioural’ information, to pick someone out of a crowd. With these new innovations in technology new biometric identification programs are certainly getting a lot of attention. Facial recognition, or face scanning, has been added to the three primary biometric platforms, allowing verification by one’s face. The scanner uses a camera with infrared features and scans a face to profile it, creating a unique profile of a person in a database, by determining facial features, contours and in some cases even more detailed features such as scars, etc.

Facial scanning is preferred in the market, due to the scanners being inexpensive, and still very much secure allowing 1:1 verification. Facial scanning can be done on long- or short-range, depending on the reader or scanner, allowing faster and more sufficient identification and verification of a person.

Despite all the new advances in the field of biometrics, fingerprints remain the most common type of biometric identifiers, partly because of their essential uniqueness and permanence, and partly because, even before modern biometric technologies were available, law enforcement kept fingerprint identifiers on file. So, with biometrics rapidly advancing in the IT field, and because it offers so many potential applications, we can expect to see more multi-mode biometric designs in the years to come.

For more information, contact ZKTeco (SA), +27 (0)12 259 1047, [email protected], www.zkteco.co.za



Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Palm-vein biometric kiosks secure SAP at Transnet Engineering
Access Control & Identity Management Transport (Industry) Videos
Securing access to SAP is essential to avoid fraud or corruption. Ensuring that users can access the software quickly, easily, and conveniently to do their jobs is also essential.

Read more...
Empower individuals to control their biometric data
Information Security Access Control & Identity Management Security Services & Risk Management
What if your biometrics, now embedded in devices, workplaces, and airports, promising seamless access and enhanced security, was your greatest vulnerability in a cyberattack? Cybercriminals are focusing on knowing where biometric data is stored.

Read more...
Security industry embraces mobile credentials, biometrics and AI
AI & Data Analytics Access Control & Identity Management Integrated Solutions
As organisations navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape, security leaders are making strategic shifts toward unified platforms and emerging technologies, according to the newly released 2025 State of Security and Identity Report from HID.

Read more...
Nice launches DC Blue Astute garage door motor
Nice Group South Africa Technews Publishing News & Events Access Control & Identity Management Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection
Nice Systems SA has launched the Nice DC Blue Astute, a garage door motor for the South African market featuring a pre-installed lithium-ion battery instead of traditional lead-acid batteries.

Read more...
Towards a global digital passport?
Access Control & Identity Management
In a world where borders are more connected and closely monitored, the idea of a universal digital passport could revolutionise how we travel, work, and even perceive citizenship.

Read more...
Empower individuals to control their biometric data
Information Security Access Control & Identity Management Security Services & Risk Management
What if your biometrics, now embedded in devices, workplaces, and airports, promising seamless access and enhanced security, was your greatest vulnerability in a cyberattack? Cybercriminals are focusing on knowing where biometric data is stored.

Read more...
A platform for access and identity at Securex 2025
Securex South Africa Access Control & Identity Management Facilities & Building Management
South African companies involved in supplying access control technology, security services, and data management are well-positioned to tap into the expanding access control market at Securex 2025.

Read more...
Background checks: risk levels and compliance
iFacts Access Control & Identity Management Security Services & Risk Management
Conducting background checks is a vital step in the hiring process for employers or when engaging service providers; however, it is crucial to understand the legal framework and regulations governing these checks.

Read more...
Insurance provider uses Net2 For access management
Paxton Access Control & Identity Management Integrated Solutions Healthcare (Industry)
BestMed selected Paxton Net2 for its access control requirements because of its simplicity of installation and ease of navigation for end users, as well as the 5-year warranty.

Read more...
Identity is a cyber issue
Access Control & Identity Management Information Security
Identity and access management telemetry has emerged as the most common source of early threat detection, responsible for seven of the top 10 indicators of compromise leading to security investigations.

Read more...