Introduction to Biometrics
Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham
The University of Texas at Dallas
Lecture #15
Biometrics Applications - II
October 19, 2005
Outline
 Overview
 Citizen Facing Applications
 Employee Facing Applications
References
 Course Text Book, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
Groups of Applications
 Citizen Facing Applications
- E.g., Criminal identification
 Employee Facing Applications
- PC/Network access, Physical access
 Customer-facing applications
- POS Transactions
Citizen Facing Applications
 A Government body (state, federal agency) provides
authentication an enforces compliances with the system’s
match decisions
 Examples, law enforcement, benefits disbursement, obtaining
drivers’ license
 Large scale systems enrolling thousand of people
 Three aspects
- Criminal identification
- Citizen identification
- Surveillance
Criminal Identification
 Use of biometrics technologies to
- identify or verify the identity of a suspect, detainee
 Law enforcement applications
Current Trends and Directions
 Current Trends
- Automated fingerprint searches against local, state and
national databases
- Automated processing of mug shots
 Directions
Internet-based fingerprint and image databases
- DNA-based solutions
-
DNA Biometrics
 Proving that a suspect's DNA matches a sample left at the scene of a
crime requires two things: Creating a DNA profile using basic
molecular biology protocols; Crunching numbers and applying the
principles of population genetics to prove a match mathematically
 Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes containing the DNA
blueprint that encodes all the materials needed to make up your
body as well as the instructions for how to run it. One member of
each chromosomal pair comes from your mother, and the other is
contributed by your father.
 Every cell in your body contains a copy of this DNA; While the
majority of DNA doesn't differ from human to human, some 3 million
base pairs of DNA (about 0.10 percent of your entire genome) vary
from person to person.
 The key to DNA evidence lies in comparing the DNA left at the scene
of a crime with a suspect's DNA in these chromosomal regions that
do differ.
Related Technologies
 AFIS technology with live scan devices most commonly used
 Facial scan
- Confidence is not high
Biometrics Solution Matrix
 How urgent is the authentication problem that biometrics are
solving
 What is the scope of the authentication problem that
biometrics are solving
 How well can biometrics solve the authentication problem?
 Are biometrics the only possible authentication solution?
 How receptive are users to biometrics as an authentication
solution
Factors considered in the Matrix
 Exclusivity
- Biometrics is the only technology for large scale
applications
 Effectiveness
- High level of accuracy
 Receptiveness
- Little resistance
 Urgency
- Rapid searches needed
 Scope
Limited usually to law enforcement
-
Cost and Deployment Issues
 Hardware
 Convert ink-based cards to electronic fingerprint cards
 Fingerprint matching
 Facial scan
 Deployment, integration, maintenance
Citizen Identification
 Use of biometrics to identify/verify individuals when
interacting with government agencies
- Card issuance
- Voting
- Immigration
- Social services
Current Trends and Directions
 Current Trends
- Voting and Voter Registration
- Government benefits
- Immigration
- Driver’s license
- Background checks
 Directions
- Multifunction cards with information including
employment, medical, citizenship status
Related Technologies
 AFIS, Face scan and Finger scan used most often
 Mostly government section applications
Factors
 Exclusivity
- Biometrics is the only technology for many of the
functions
 Effectiveness
- High level of accuracy
 Receptiveness
- Need consent
 Urgency
- Not as pressing as criminal identification
 Scope
Wide range of applications
-
Cost and Deployment Issues
 Logistics of enrollment
- Difficult to enroll millions of people
 Scalability
 Need to work for numerous people
 Response times
- Delays will cause backlog
 Error rates
- Must be within acceptable range
 Legacy systems
- Need to integrate new systems with existing systems
 Privacy
- Need privacy enhanced systems
Surveillance
 Identify or verify the identity of a person in a specified area
 Complement/Replace authentication methods such as manual
monitoring
Current Trends and Directions
 Current Trends
- Deployed in casinos, policy applications, Matching
through surveillance cameras
 Directions
- Counterterrorism, More widespread use
Related Technologies
 Facial scan is the main technology
 Voice scan may be used for conversation monitoring
Factors
 Exclusivity
- Biometrics is the only technology for surveillance
monitoring
 Effectiveness
- Deterrence is the main benefit
 Receptiveness
- After 9/11 more acceptance
 Urgency
- 9/11 has changed the urgency
 Scope
Widespread use is possible
-
Cost and Deployment Issues
 Companies can get income from licensing
 Can use existing hardware, especially for facial scan
 Need quality enrollment
 May need manual intervention to make absolutely certain
 Deference only if the person is aware being monitored
Employee Facing Applications
 Institution (public or private) provides authentication an
enforces compliances with the system’s match decisions
 Usually a closed system within a department
 Two aspects
- PC/Network access
- Physical access, time attendance
PC/Network Access
 Use of biometrics to identify/verify access to a PC or network
resources
 Usually intended to complement/replace passwords/PINs
Current Trends and Directions
 Current Trends
- Access to sensitive files
- Used in products such as Windows NT, Novell , Solaris
- Middleware-based solutions
 Directions
- Smartcard, PKI together with Biometrics
- More widespread use
- Keystroke dynamics
Related Technologies
 Finger scan and middleware technologies
 Facial scan and vice scan are also being investigated
Factors
 Exclusivity
- Biometrics not the only solution. Passwords still being
used
 Effectiveness
- Fairly low error rates
 Receptiveness
- General receptive due to increased security
 Urgency
- Urgent due to risks involved with passwords mechanism
 Scope
Will affect nearly every individual due to PC access
-
Cost and Deployment Issues
 Cost depends on number of users and machines used
 Enrollment issues
 Are users mobile?
 Remote resource access
 What happens if users are falsely rejected?
 Educating the user about the system
 Establishing security levels
Physical Access/Time and Attendance
 Identify/verify individual entering the building
 Complements/replaces current authentication schemes
Current Trends and Directions
 Current Trends
- Control access to secure areas
- Time/attendance record keeping
 Directions
- Integrating biometric technologies with human resources
applications
Related Technologies
 Hand scan and finger scan are commonly used
 Iris scan and retina scan have also been deployed
Factors
 Exclusivity
- Biometrics not the only solution. Badges, tokens also
used
 Effectiveness
- Rapid response problem
 Receptiveness
- More receptive to physical access than time/attendance
 Urgency
- Air travel after 9/11
 Scope
Potential for widespread use
-
Cost Issues
 Cost mostly for hardware and integration
 Need to have a good understanding of the current access
system, fallback procedures in case of false rejection
- PIN, passwords etc.