What is Biometric??
Biometrics is the ability to identify a person by a physical characteristic such as fingerprints or retinal scans. This has had several applications in security and has been used by the federal government. It has become popular because of its many advantages over traditional security systems such as passwords and pin numbers.
Uniqueness
One of the difficulties of security is the ability for more than one person to possess a password. People can share it voluntarily or it can be stolen. A person's fingerprint cannot be shared easily or stolen and no one else has an exact match to yours. This technology is useful for corporate America where a hacked password could cost millions in profits and revenue.
No Forgotten Passwords
Another problem that many companies have is people forgetting their passwords. In this era of website log-ins, everyone has different passwords for everything from email to banking. This can make it difficult for people to remember every one even if they use it regularly. Biometrics never have to be remembered and can never be forgotten as they are a physical characteristic of the person.
Accountability
A biometric reading unequivocally attaches a person to an event. If there is a security breach or something is stolen, police and security have an accurate record of who was last in that location or had access to a specific computer. Since biometrics cannot be easily forged, there can be little defense of a hacked password or saying it was not you.
