Biometrics and Information Security
Tremendous advancements in information technology has laid path for new networking and communication systems. These facilities attract many criminals to hack into users systems and steal their personal data. These advancements lead to more threats and better security need to be provided to user’s personal data. To ensure the security, in recent years many authentication techniques have been developed where biometrics is one of those which every organization is integrating it into their systems.
The author mentions various features of today’s biometrics such as face, voice, speech recognition and fingerprints. Based on functionality of biometrics, they can be separated as Identification and verification systems. Even based on physiological and behavioral characteristics, one can identify an individual.
The author’s description of new emerging technologies in biometrics such as ear shape, gait recognition, body odor, DNA matching and so on enhances the existing biometric security systems. Apart from that, incorporating more than two biometrics such face, finger print and voice recognition brings in more security into system and strengthens it against any attacks ( Deepthi, 2008).
This biometric technology has been used in various applications such as banking sector, airports, passports with an electronic chip and finger print scanning to check in to office areas. Keeping up the standards and maintaining confidentiality with information exchange of systems is an important thing in biometric security ( Deepthi, 2008).
These systems are advantageous in many aspects because these biometrics can neither be stolen nor can be destroyed like passwords, key mismatch etc. But on other side, it carries disadvantages like company need to buy licensed patent rights, people’s fear that they may be exposed to harmful light and inconsistency in voice lead to error. In conclusion, implementing biometrics in all the areas is utmost important for data security but at the same time company’s compatibility and developing awareness among the employees is most important thing to take this biometric systems a step forward.

References
Bala, D. (2008). Biometrics and Information Security. Proceedings of the 5th Annual Conference on Information Security Curriculum Development - InfoSecCD '08, pp. 64-66. doi:10.1145/1456625.1456644