Cryptography Reference
In-Depth Information
9.4 Biometrics
Biology is the search for the chemistry that work.
R.J.P. Williams
(1926-), British chemist
— from a lecture in Oxford, June 1996
Overview
The science and technoloy of quantifyingand analyzingbioloical or be-
havioral data is what we call
biometrics
. The characteristics to be measured are
DNA; ear geometry; eye retina (the nerve endings inside the eyeball that cap-
ture and send light to the brain) and irises (the coloured part visible at the front
of the eye); facial geometry; fingerprints; hand geometry; and voice frequency.
The data to be analyzed is stored in a database for comparison with existing
records. Typically, software is used to identify specific
match points
, which are
then processed into a value that may be compared with biometric data that is
scanned when the owner of a smart card, say, tries to gain access. Biometrics
may be used to provide authentication for access to a bank account; to pay for
products or services from a business; to pay for telephone charges; and so on.
Biometrics can be employed in addition to, or in place of, say, a PIN.
Sensors are used to record the biometric information. Cameras are used for
facial, eye, hand, and ear geometry; microphones for voice; chemical laboratories
for DNA; and any number of sensors for fingerprints including pressure sensitive,
thermal, optic, and capacitive devices.
Biometrics and Smart Cards
The idea of embeddingbiometrics into a smart card toether with other
personal details has been considered by many governments. For instance, such
a card, called Mykad, was mandated in September of 2001 for all Malaysian
citizens over the age of twelve. The Mykad deployment started in 1999 when
the government awarded the project to an international consortium of technol-
ogy suppliers. From its oLcial release in September 2001, to April of 2004,
nine million cards had been issued with a total of fifteen million expected to
be registered by the end of 2005. The Mykad replaces the national ID card
and driver's license; it contains medical data; may be used for highway-toll pay-
ments; for parking; for public transportation; for ATM transactions; and even
e-commerce since it contains PKI infrastructure, including digital signatures.
Mykad contains fingerprint biometrics for verification of a given individual.
In 2002, the U.S. Congress mandated a program to issue international vis-
itors “only machine-readable, tamper-resistant visas and other travel and en-
try documents that use biometric identifiers.” The global biometric enrollment
program started in September of 2003. By October 26, 2004, all visa-issuing
U.S. embassies and consulates will be collectingbiometrics for visa applications.
Typically, fingerprints of two digits from each individual will be electronically
scanned and stored in a database available to the Department of Homeland
Security immigration oLcers for those ports of entry to the United States.
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