What is Biometric Authentication and Verification?

Definition and importance of Biometric Authentication

Biometric authentication is a security process that leverages unique biological characteristics to confirm and verify a person’s identity. These characteristics can include fingerprints, facial features, voice patterns, and iris scans. This type of authentication falls under the “something you are” factor in multi-factor authentication (MFA), providing a more secure and convenient way to grant access to both physical spaces and digital systems. By using biometric data, organizations can ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information or areas, enhancing overall security. Secure identity verification methods, particularly biometric authentication, are essential to counter the vulnerabilities associated with traditional passwords.

In today’s digital age, biometric authentication has become increasingly crucial for modern security. Many industries are now using biometrics for identity verification and secure transactions. Traditional methods like passwords and PINs are susceptible to hacking and theft, making them less reliable. In contrast, biometric authentication offers a higher level of assurance that a person is who they claim to be, as it is much harder to replicate unique biological traits. This enhanced security is why industries such as law enforcement, healthcare, and finance are increasingly adopting biometric technologies. Additionally, biometric authentication provides a streamlined user experience, eliminating the need to remember complex passwords and reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

What is the difference between authentication and verification?

Although both authentication and verification are methods to identify if the users are who they claim to be, they are slightly different terms. Verification systems are designed to verify their identity through various biometric methods, such as fingerprint, facial, and voice recognition.

Authentication is the process of comparing a user’s live identity to the biometrics you already have. Verification, on the other hand, is when you validate a user’s official ID documents.

Usually, the verification procedure happens only once - a person just needs to validate their official ID document before starting to use a particular service. But they still need to authenticate themselves each time they want to access it. From the user’s perspective, the main difference between identification and authentication is the UX (user experience) - verification requires your ID data, and authentication requires information about your biometrics.

Time is a critical factor that distinguishes authentication from verification processes. Authentication occurs instantly, as the system compares input data with pre-existing records. Verification requires additional time to validate identity and perform comprehensive security checks. Organizations strategically leverage these processes to maintain robust system security and foster trust in digital interactions. Biometric technologies, in particular, have emerged as a highly reliable method for secure verification, ensuring compliance with stringent security standards.

Biometric authentication examples

Biometric authentication is a useful solution for several services online. Because of its efficient and secure procedure, authentication is the first choice for many companies to use as a security feature. Many global industries try to implement this technology, and there are loads of successful examples. Here are a few:

• An electronic passport (e-passport) contains a microchip with the same biometric information as a conventional passport. The chip contains useful information about the passport holder, including their digital image, which is connected to the owner’s identifying information. This way, the passport is secure, and it checks the owner’s identity through biometric information such as fingerprints.
• Biometrics are also used in healthcare. Hospitals need to accurately track patients and make sure that a patient’s information is secure. The biometric data allows hospitals to store and access patient medical history easily. Fingerprint authentication is widely used in healthcare to securely access electronic health records and prevent unauthorized access.
• Beyond these cases, we know that people use biometric authentication system to unlock their phones, access their online banking applications, or make secure transactions. These systems are widely known as FaceID or Touch ID and are used by billions of people worldwide every day.

Biometric Verification and Identity Verification

How does biometric authentication work with biometric data?

In order to understand how biometric authentication works, we should know that it is a process of verifying an identity using a person’s unique characteristics. Biometric identification leverages unique biological traits to safeguard digital identities and enhance security measures. The solution itself looks pretty straightforward, but the technology behind it is complicated. Let’s see how it works.

‘Biometrics’ is another word for your body measurements. So the system verifies you as a person based on these measurements. Biometric authentication takes this data and uses it to compare your features against a database. This is the way it enters your information into the system.

A unimodal biometric authentication system relies on a single unique trait, such as a face or retina, for user verification. However, it is vulnerable to spoofing, which is a significant security risk.

It works by comparing two different sets of data - the first one is set by you, the device owner. And the second one belongs to the visitor to this device. If these two sets of data are identical, the device assumes that the ‘owner’ and the ‘visitor’ are the same, so it lets you proceed with using the service. For example, if someone else holds your smartphone, and tries to use Face ID to unlock the device, they’ll be rejected as the owner of the phone (you) and the visitor (the person holding your phone) don’t match.

Types of biometric authentication

There are various ways to authenticate people using their biometric features. We can classify each type of biometric into two main categories. The first can be the physiological identifiers, which includes things like face, voice, or even vein recognition. The second type would be behavioural identifiers, and it can be the unique ways that individuals act, like typing patterns for example. The most widely spread types of biometric authentication systems are physiological identifiers.

Multimodal biometric authentication, which uses multiple biometric traits, offers enhanced security by reducing the risk of spoofing.

Let’s take a look at a few:

• Fingerprint recognition is the most popular and most developed biometric authentication solution. There are several reasons for that - it’s easy to capture, and verification happens by comparing the unique loop patterns. There are specific algorithms that produce unique digital biometric templates for everyone, which helps machines understand who wants to access devices.
• Another widely spread biometric authentication solution is facial recognition, which measures the geometry of a face using multiple points - for example, the distance between eyes and from chin to the forehead.
• Voice recognition is also a common biometric authentication method. From the behavioural perspective, the way each person says something is unique - movement variation, pace, accent, and multiple other things form an individual voice that can have a great use to develop biometric authentication.

There are multiple ways to authenticate someone based on their biometric features. It can be iris recognition, retinal scan, signature recognition and much more. Companies, to this day, try to develop new ways to secure their services with biometric authentication systems, which has a significant impact on our digital lives.

Security and privacy in Biometric Authentication

Risks of Biometric Authentication

While biometric authentication offers numerous benefits, it also comes with certain risks. One of the primary concerns is the potential for biometric data to be hacked or stolen, which could lead to identity theft and other security breaches. Biometric systems can also be vulnerable to spoofing attacks, where an attacker uses a fake biometric sample to gain unauthorized access. Moreover, there are significant concerns regarding the storage and protection of biometric data, as well as the potential for bias in biometric systems.

To mitigate these risks, it is essential to implement robust security measures, such as encryption and secure storage, to protect biometric data. Biometric systems should be designed to detect and prevent spoofing attacks, and regular updates and maintenance should be performed to ensure the system remains secure. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that biometric systems are fair and unbiased, and that users have control over their biometric data. By addressing these concerns, organizations can leverage biometric authentication as a powerful tool for modern security, offering higher assurance and convenience while protecting user privacy.

Advantages of Biometric Authentication

There are many advantages of using secure identity verification methods like biometric authentication over traditional forms of security, like the oft-used and oft-forgotten, passwords. Use biometrics to ensure identity assurance through unique physical traits, making it a reliable method for various sectors such as healthcare, travel, and law enforcement. Let’s start with the fact that biometric data is much harder for fraudsters to steal. The overall structure of biometrics guarantees the security of every individual. This is because of the unique physiological features that are registered in the database.

Security is a huge factor when it comes to resetting credentials or verifying remote employees when they need to access high-risk or sensitive company data. Knowing that biometric authentication can make these services much more efficient and secure to use, there is definitely a huge potential in this kind of technology.

At the same time, it is much easier to use applications with biometric authentication systems because, unlike passwords, there is nothing to remember, and it’s more comfortable to access various services this way.

Here at Veriff, we work hard to build trust online and make the digital world safer with the tools we are building daily. That’s why we recently introduced Face Match - the AI-powered reverification tool which utilizes some of the best parts of our existing identity verification technology.

Global regulatory landscape

The adoption of biometric authentication is influenced by regulatory frameworks that vary across regions, notably between the United States and the European Union.

United States

In the US, biometric data regulation primarily occurs at the state level. Illinois, Texas, and Washington have enacted comprehensive biometric privacy laws. Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is particularly stringent, requiring private entities to obtain informed consent before collecting or using biometric identifiers and allowing individuals to sue for violations. Texas and Washington also mandate consent but rely on state enforcement rather than private lawsuits. Additionally, several other states, such as Massachusetts, Hawaii, Florida, and Arizona, are considering biometric privacy laws. Interestingly, the most stringent biometric privacy laws in the U.S. have emerged at the city level. In January 2021, New York City passed a biometric privacy ordinance that places certain obligations on commercial establishments.

European Union

The EU adopts a centralized approach to biometric data regulation. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) classifies biometric data as sensitive, imposing strict requirements on its processing. Organizations must obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting or using their biometric data. The proposed Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) further aims to regulate biometric systems, especially those used for identification and surveillance, to ensure they meet high standards of transparency and ethics. Additionally, the EU's Electronic Identification, Authentication, and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation seeks to provide a standardized framework for electronic identification and trust services, including aspects related to biometrics.

UK's position

Post-Brexit, the United Kingdom has the opportunity to establish its own regulatory framework for digital identity and biometric authentication. A white paper by Hippo Digital suggests that the UK could become a regulatory "sweet spot" by integrating effective elements from both U.S. and EU approaches. The UK government has announced plans to introduce digital identity wallets, such as incorporating driver's licenses and military veteran cards into the Gov.uk Wallet. This initiative aims to provide secure digital identities, enabling consumers to protect their personal information more effectively.

Starship: Ensuring safety in autonomous delivery

Challenge:

Starship Technologies, a leader in autonomous delivery, faced the challenge of securely verifying customers who interacted with their fleet of delivery robots. As their operations expanded into new markets, ensuring compliance and minimizing fraudulent activities became critical to maintaining customer trust and safety.

Solution:

Starship partnered with Veriff to implement a cutting-edge identity verification system, including:

• Biometric verification to confirm delivery recipients' identities securely and efficiently.
• Real-time authentication to prevent unauthorized access to deliveries.
• Scalable solutions to support Starship’s rapid growth and entry into new markets.

Results:

Starship Technologies experienced significant benefits from partnering with Veriff:

• Enhanced user trust: Veriff's IDV technology ensured secure access to Starship's services, fostering trust among customers.
• Fraud prevention: Starship achieved a substantial reduction in identity-related fraud, protecting the integrity of their autonomous delivery system.
• Operational efficiency: By automating identity verification, Starship streamlined their onboarding process and reduced manual intervention.
• Support for global expansion: Veriff’s scalable solutions enabled Starship to confidently expand into new markets, maintaining compliance and security standards.

Conclusion

Biometric authentication stands at the forefront of modern security solutions, offering a blend of enhanced protection and user convenience. As technology advances, it is crucial for organizations to stay informed about regional regulatory developments and implement best practices to safeguard biometric data. By doing so, they can harness the full potential of biometric authentication while upholding the highest standards of security and privacy.