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Biometric Security And The Myths Associated With It

by

Claire Winters

It would be natural nowadays to be concerned with biometric security because it has become so relevant in applications of technology and often described in books or even films which have a science-fiction presence. Privacy concerns and government intrusion are popular topics these days, and these fears go hand in hand with the increasing demand for safe, reliable security systems that go beyond the use of a mere lock and key. Long before computer and also finger printing technology, biometrics actually has a long history which is an interesting concept for anyone to imagine.

Biometrics is less of a sci-fi word than it sounds; it really applies to the physical characteristics of an individual that recognize them. Biometrics include such traits of an individual for instance weight, height, color of hair, deformities plus much more. Throughout history, a person’s distinctive characteristics have been used for identity purposes in distinguishing one person from another. Long before the invention of computer technology, records have been used for decades to keep track of individuals in society through things such as driver licenses, social security numbers, address and phone databases as well as work documentation just to name a few.

Physical characteristics focusing on unique and unchanging traits of a individual is essentially what makes up the modern-day form of biometrics security. Height, weight, and hair color can be changed; tattoos can be added and removed; even some physical features and birthmarks can be changed through cosmetic surgery. What biometric companies focus on with their security tools are the characteristics that don t change, such as fingerprints and hand geometry, voice patterns, and the iris and retina.

Scanning and storing the data of features such as these have led to a fear, bordering on paranoia by some, of invaded privacy and increasing government intrusion into our lives. Fueling the fear of the general public, the media has through various movies and books, depicted nightmares people could very well encounter through abuse of this biometric technology which even the slightest might be troublesome. A nameless identity being able to collect or store data of a personal nature is frequently something people would prefer not to happen. Without knowledge or consent, personal information such as face recognition software could be used against any individual in this new age technology giving us all something to possibly worry about. In addition to the typical identity theft via stolen personal information such as social security data, people now worry biological information could be stored and used inappropriately making it easier for identity theft to occur. There is also the fear of this method of technology making mistakes and resulting in false accusations or arrests.

This new technology has drawbacks and mistakes will certainly occur however, the chance of this occurring to a wide number of people is purely a myth. The information scanned into biometric computers by company for security purposes is stored as a numeric algorithm that s only useful for the company s security reader, and can t be utilised by an outside source. Biometric databases for any private business is often unreadable or not accessible to other agencies such as various police departments, trying to access this information so there is a sense of security involved.

Private companies who make use of a biometrics database will often have elaborate security systems in place to stop any breach and allow them to always keep personal stored data safe. The practice of using biometrics for security and identification purposes has been used for a number of years, and the benefits to society have outweighed the supposed risks. Even with the rising public fear related to this technology, new methods are constantly being invented and improved upon in regards to how information is collected and controlled. Many myths surrounding this type of technology can be erased through research and fact checking when it comes to using biometrics for personal and business uses.

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Biometric Security And The Myths Associated With It