Authors: Amy Benish, Cheryl Cheifetz, Kim Darche, Pat Reed, Max Uhls,

Young Hee An, Tykia Owens, Brad Frey

Introduction
Credit Card Fraud
Identity Theft
Digital Piracy
Copyright Infringement
Hacking
Worms, DDos, & Cyber-Terrorism
Computer Viruses, Trojan Horses & Logic Bombs
Phishing
Counterfeiting
General Security
Enforcing Acceptable Use Policies
Online Harassment
Online Bullying

White Papers on Technology Issues for Educators

Educational Policy Studies 415

Prof. Nicholas Burbules

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform Online Masters Program

Contact Information:
Tykia Owens

Brad Frey

Young Hee An 

Biometrics

Written by Young Hee An, Tykia Owens, Brad Frey 

Introduction

Biometrics  or bio-identification, is the science of measuring physical properties of a person.  Using data bases and the physical properties gathered from a biometric system, the identity of a person can be identified or authenicated.  The use of physical properties (e.g., fingerprints, retina scans, voice recognition) to identify individuals, are becoming increasingly more popular and a preferred method of identification.

Long ago, Biometrics were only seen in works of science fiction authors.  In more recent times, Biometrics have been used by law enforcement and government agencies.  But now, businesses are beginning to use biometrics to allow entrance to their locations and to monitor the comings and goings of employees.  Information can now be accessed via biometric systems.  Passports and driver's licenses could soon have biometric features.  Digital video is used at major sporting events to identify persons wanted by police.

The History of Biometrics

The ideas of biometrics have been around for many years. Possibly the first known example of biometrics in practice was a form of finger printing being used in China in the 14th century.  Joao de Barros, an explorer and writer, wrote that the Chinese merchants used a form of biometrics by stamping children’s palm prints and footprints on paper with ink.  This was a way for the merchants to easity distinguish the different children.

In Europe in the late 1800s, identification of criminals was based on memory and general descriptions.  In 1890 a police desk clerk named Alphonse Bertillon sought to fix the problem by using a set of body measurements to identify the criminals.  This early method of biometrics was named Bertillonage after its inventor.  After it was discovered that many people shared the same physical measurements, this method of biometrics soon fell out of favor.  Fingerprinting  became the preferred method of identification and still is today.

What are the most common traits that are used for bioidentification?

What are the advantages of biometric systems for authentication? 

The main advantage is that each person's biometric information is nearly impossible to forge because it is unique for each individual. All biometric information is stored in a database, allowing the information to be easily accessed.  Biometrics are better than passwords because they can't be lost or stolen.

What are the disadvantages of biometric systems for authentication?

The biggest drawback and disadvantage of biometric systems is the cost.  Software and hardware are very expensiive, implementation costs are also very high.  Another disadvantage according to civil liberty groups is privacy and personal freedom.

Challenges for biometrics

Adoption for biometrics has been slow process.  False negatives are a major concern for businesses and government agencies.  If a worker cuts his finger, the fingerprint reader might not recognized the employee and refuse access.  An employee with a very bad cold or strep throat could throw off a voice recognition program.  Another issue with biometrics is the cost.  Software to run the programs and the hardware itself are very expensive because of the complexity of the technology.  Other concerns are the fear of constantly being monitored, a "Big Brother" type anxiety.  A loss of perceived freedom and privacy.  

Other questions: Is the information accurate?  Who keeps the data retrieved from the biometric systems?  How secure is the data? Who has access to the data?

Keyboard with built in fingerprint sensor.

Biometrics in the News

Last Updated: 09/06/2006