A presentation by:

Burhan Allah Saiyed

Noreen Ahmed
 Biometrics

• Definition:
– The science and technology
which is used to measure and
analyze biological data is called
“Biometrics”.
• In IT Perspective:
– The technologies which
measure and analyze specific
human characteristics
Source: SearchSecurity.com
 Types of Biometrics

• Behavioral Biometrics:
– Characteristics which one
acquires naturally over a period
of time

• Speech recognition- analyzing

one’s vocal behavior
• Signature- analyzing one’s
signature dynamics
• Keystroke- measuring the time
spacing between words
 Speech Recognition
• How it works:
Person produces Follow some sort of
script or code to keep
actual sounds a standard voice
which are recorded pattern record

Voice pattern
identified by
microphones

statistical profiles are

Live voice sample
created by comparing
submitted for verification
various voice samples to
is compared to the
determine any repeating
patterns
statistical profiles created

Source: findbiometrics.com (An Application of Biometric Technology: Voice Recognition)

 Speech Recognition

• Benefits:
– Ability to use existing phone
lines
– Low perceived invasiveness
– Can be automated
• Disadvantages:
– High false non-matching rates

Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Speech Recognition
• Application:
– Physical Access Entry
– Where remote identification is
required
Financial Transactions (accessing one’s
accounts, funds transfer, bill
payments)
Credit Card Processing (address
changes notification, balance
transfers, loss prevention)

Source: findbiometrics.com (An Application of Biometric Technology: Voice Recognition)

 Signature Biometrics

• Works in 3 Stages:
– Enrollment: Using a graphical user interface
and a digital pen and tablet, the user
provides a required number of signatures
as samples to be compared with.
– Signature Profile Creation and Handling:
Sample signatures converted into
templates.
– Signature Verification: Compares current
signature to pre-set signature. The server
continues to learn and fine-tune the user’s
profile.

Source: Eyenetwatch.com
 Signature Biometrics
• Benefits:
– Difficult to mimic the behavior
of signing
– Low False Acceptance Rates
– People used to signing
documents, non-intrusive
approach
• Disadvantages:
– People may not always sign in a
consistent manner
Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
Signature Biometrics

• Application:
– Provides Access to documents
– Contract/ Agreement execution
– Acknowledgement of goods or
services received
– Banking services

Postal carriers in developed

countries using Signature
biometrics to keep records.
Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
Keystroke

• Working:
– Instead of using signatures, as in previous
case, users are required to punch in their
username and passwords 15 times.
– This is to make the findings more
consistent.

Source: Findbiometrics.com
 Keystroke

• The distinctive, behavioral

characteristics measured by Keystroke
Recognition include:
– The cumulative typing speed;
– The time that elapses between consecutive
keystrokes;
– The time that each key is held down;
– The frequency of the individual in using
other keys on the keyboard, such as the
number pad or function keys;
– The sequence utilized by the individual when
attempting to type a capital letter
 Keystroke

• Applications:
– Used mainly for verification
purposes after authentication
has been carried out using
some other method.

Source: Eyenetwatch.com
 Types of Biometrics
• Physical Biometrics:

– Measuring one’s physically inherent conditions.

Basically used for identification or verification.

• Bertillonage - measuring body lengths (no longer used)

• Fingerprint - analyzing fingertip patterns
• Facial Recognition - measuring facial characteristics
• Hand Geometry - measuring the shape of the hand
• Iris Scan - analyzing features of colored ring of the eye
• Retinal Scan - analyzing blood vessels in the eye
• Vascular Patterns - analyzing vein patterns
• DNA - analyzing genetic makeupSource: Questbiometrics.com
 Fingerprint Scanner

• Probably the oldest biometric technique (FBI

recording ten finger templates as early as 1970,
though fingerprints identified unique in 1684).
• How it Works:
– Fingerprint made up of ridges and furrows.
– Fingerprint scanner captures image of fingerprint.
– Converts picture using complex algorithms into maps of
minutiae points.
– Reads ridge characteristic and plots an x/y co-ordinate.
– These co-ordinates are stored rather than the complete
image, to save space.
Source: EyenetWatch.com
 Fingerprint Scanner

• Benefits:
– Easy to use
– Cheap
– Small in size
– Low power
– Non-intrusive
– Large databases already
available (abroad)

Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Fingerprint Scanner

• Application:
– Used in IT security (flash drives,
notebooks, mobile phones)
– Used in Sensor Technologies in
the Healthcare Industry
– Used in door locks for access
control
– Used in network applications

Source: Eyenetwatch.com
Facial Recognition

• The Process:
– User faces camera
– System locates the user’s face and
perform matches against claimed
identity from database
– To prevent fake face or mold, user’s
are now required to smile, blink or
move in a way that is human verifying

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Facial Recognition

• Benefits:
– Not intrusive, no physical
contact required
– Can be done from a distance
• Disadvantages:
– More suited for authentication
rather than identification
– Civil liberties issue

Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Facial Recognition

• Application:
– Used mainly as a potential tool
for averting terrorism attacks,
and for other law enforcement
purposes.

Source: Questbiometrics.com
Hand Geometry

• On its own, hand geometry biometrics are not

reliable for identification purposes- can be used
with a combination of other biometrics for verification
purposes however.
• The Process:
– User places hands on surface which has
guidance pegs on it.
– Hand is then aligned by the pegs so the
device can read hand attributes.
– Device checks its database for matches.
Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Hand Geometry

• Benefits:
– Easy to use
– Small amount of data required to uniquely
identify a user
– Low failure to enroll rates
– Non intrusive
• Disadvantages:
– Lack of accuracy, can’t be used for
identification
– Size of the scanner
– Expensive as compared to finger scanner
– Injuries to hand fairly common
Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Hand Geometry

• Used in (actual places where

in application):
– International Airports,
– Day care centers,
– Blood banks,
– Welfare agencies,
– Hospitals,
– Immigration facilities.

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Iris Scanner
• Analyzes the eye colored tissues surrounding the pupil.
• More than 200 points which can be used for comparison
purpose.
• Can be used for identification as well as verification.

• Process:
– Person aligns himself in such a way that
he can see his own eye’s reflection.
– The scanner captures the iris image and
compares with images stored in database
– To avoid fake eyes from being used, light
may be shone by machine and pupil
dilation observed.

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Iris Scanner

• Benefits:
– Highly accurate, no known false
case
– Not intrusive, no physical
contact required
• Disadvantages:
– User has to face some
discomfort as he has to stay
steady for time period
Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Iris Scanner

• Uses:
– Law enforcement
agencies, Lancaster
County Prison used iris
scanner for law
enforcement purposes
for the first time.
– International Airports

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Retinal Scanner
• The difference between iris and retinal scanner is that retinal
scanner analyzes the layers of blood vessels at the back of the
eye. Also unlike iris, retinal scanner requires user to remove
glasses.

• The process:
– A person brings his eye close to the device
and peers through a small opening.
– User focuses on a small green dot while
keeping head absolutely still and waiting
for verification.
– Since there is no way to replicate a retina,
extra precautionary measures need not be
taken.
Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Retinal Scanner

• Benefits:
– Highly accurate
• Disadvantages:
– Enrollment and scanning are
intrusive and take too long

Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Retinal Scanner

• Used at:
– Almost exclusive
use in high-end
security
applications.
– Used mostly for
controlling access to
areas or rooms in
military facilities,
power plants and
other high risk
facilities
Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Vascular Patterns

• Measure the characteristics of veins

situated in a person’s hand or face.

• The Process:
– The user places his palm on
a curved surface which runs
an infrared scan on it.
– The scan creates a picture
which can then be compared
to ones stored in database

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Vascular Patterns

• Benefits:
– Difficult to forge
– Contactless, hygienic and non-
invasive
– Highly accurate

Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 Vascular Patterns
• Application:
– Still fairly new as
compared to other
biometrics.
– Few details
published about it.
– Can be found at
military institutes
and multi-outlet
retailers
establishment.
Source: Questbiometrics.com
DNA Biometrics
• Every individual has 23 pairs of
chromosomes which contain the genetic
history of the person.
• After a suspect leaves DNA sample at the
scene of the crime it is matched with the
DNA of all people suspect of the crime.
• This type of biometrics requires two
things:
– Creating DNA profile using basic molecular
biology protocols
– Crunching numbers and applying the principles
of population genetics to prove a match
mathematically

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 DNA Biometrics

• Benefits:
– Highly accurate
• Disadvantages:
– Not done in real-time, event
already occurred.
– Civil liberties issue, as people
might be unwilling to provide
samples
– Highly intrusive in nature
Source: BiometricNewsportal.com
 DNA Biometrics
• Used at:
– Since this method isn’t practiced in real-
time, most DNA evidences are processed in
laboratories and used for criminal
investigations.

Source: Questbiometrics.com
 Thank You
for your patience!