Biometric Identification System: Security and Privacy Concern

Abstract

Biometric system is rapidly increasing scheme replacing traditional password and manual authentication systems. Security, privacy, and accuracy are the most important aspects to be considered in developing and designing biometric arrangements. In this chapter, a comprehensive study is presented to enlighten the latest development covering aspects of improving security and privacy of biometric system. Current trends and future challenges are also outlined in this chapter. Biometric credentials are becoming popular in all concern areas as a mode of authenticating person due to the broad range advantages with comparison to traditional authentication methods. This authentication method is having the most precious bond between a user and his biometric credentials; besides this biometric system raises some serious privacy and security concerns in case its traits get compromised. This chapter presents the challenging issues that need to be taken care when designing secure and privacy concern biometric authentication protocol. It describes major threats against its security and gives directions on actions to be taken as security measures in order to design secure and privacy preserving biometric identification system. In order to improve the usability of biometric authentication system, we classify and review the current biometric system by focusing on privacy and security concern. This chapter gives overall review and information about biometric system and protects privacy in adequate manner. It discusses personal privacy in terms of adoption of biometric identification system. In present time, we talk more about frauds and insecurity in different sectors as well as the computer technologies to be applied in current trends to ecommerce, banking, etc. There are two conventional ways of identifying individual. The first one is knowledge-based method which is based on different knowledge such as PIN and password to allow user to activate services. The second method is on token-based method. It can be a piece of badge, identification paper, key, etc. Both ways are insecure as password can be forgotten or guessed by others, and in other case, badge id or other identification may be lost or stolen. Biometric attributes are an optional solution with two previous modes. The merit of using biometric features is universal, unique, measurable, and permanent.