Blog BioSmart

5 biometrics myths

BIOSMART CEO Alexander Dremin dispelled the most persistent myths about biometrics.

Myth #1. It is dangerous to transfer personal biometric information to the database: hackers will steal it and use it to break into bank accounts, issue loans or other fraud, and the state will establish total control over the life of a citizen.

Biometric data is highly unlikely to be compromised for technical reasons.

A person's biometric information is stored in a database as a mathematical model. The biometric scanner does not work with the image of a biometric identifier, but with it’s a digital template — a set of individual features. It is technically impossible to decrypt a template and restore a full-fledged image of a face, fingerprint, or palm vein pattern from it. This is the world standard for the biometric industry.

Even if an attacker intercepts the signal from the reader or gets access to the template database, they will not be able to do anything with the received set of codes. Therefore, the storage of biometric personal data is much more secure than the storage of personal data recorded in traditional characters — letters, numbers — such as passport data, bank account numbers, cards and other documents.

As for total surveillance, this is also unlikely. The amount of data that passes through the same outdoor video cameras every day is enormous. In order to use them to identify a particular person, you need a good reason. In practice, such a decision is made, for example, if a specific crime falls into the field of view of the cameras — an attack on a passerby, a store robbery.

In addition, in fact, people have been absolutely voluntarily transferring their personal biometric information to various open databases for a long time now.

I personally gave my biometric data to the UBS a long time ago, and so did many of my colleagues.

Myth #2. Biometric systems are unreliable: they can be easily deceived using a photo or a dummy, or simply hacked over the network.

Once it was this way. The first-generation fingerprint scanners could actually be deceived by using a silicone dummy with a pattern. Today, biometric access control systems use much more advanced devices.

So, modern capacitive fingerprint scanners register the difference in electrical potentials between the bumps and depressions of the papillary pattern, so they respond only to the finger of a living person.

Another example is palm vein pattern readers. The device scans the palm in several IR spectra at the same time, so it is also impossible to deceive it with a silicone dummy.

Modern face identification terminals have a built-in anti-spoofing algorithm. It guarantees that the terminal will not be deceived by a photo or video.

It is also extremely difficult to hack modern ACS over the network. The architecture of the BIOSMART ACS includes multilevel protection against attacks from the external or internal circuit, both at the software and the hardware levels.

Myth #3. Biometric technologies are poorly understood. They can be dangerous to your health.

Optical fingerprint scanners and face identification terminals are not any more dangerous than a camera or video camera. Contrary to popular belief, they do not use lasers, so the risk to health is completely excluded.

Facial terminals also identify a person contactless. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this increases the security level of the device.

As for biometric identification by the palm vein, BIOSMART as the holder of the patent for this invention received a document that proves the absolute safety of the method for human health.

Myth #4. Biometrics is only useful in defense or secret production facilities.

Twenty years ago, it was. But now biometric access control systems and worktime tracking systems help automate business processes and reduce costs in all sectors of the economy. Biometrics is used by industrial enterprises, construction organizations, banks, medical institutions, shops and restaurants.

In response to customer requests, we often develop customized solutions for the organization of access control systems or work time tracking systems.

Myth #5. Implementing a biometric access control system in an enterprise is very expensive and difficult.

Once again, it was like this. But today, biometric fingerprint readers are not much more expensive than RFID card readers. Palm vein scanners are still a bit more expensive, but they are generally in the middle price range and are much more affordable than iris scanners. 
Mobile phone vendors are already conducting research on implementing a palm vein scanner in a mobile phone camera. There are also projects to use a palm vein scanner in private homes.

Biometric access control are quite east to expand and integrate with other access control systems or software. BIOSMART has many integrations with systems such as SAP ERP HCM, Axxonsoft and others.

BIOSMART devices can be easily integrated with a Bluetooth, WiFi module, breathalyzer, or any other executive device. If necessary, the terminals operate independently and are controlled remotely.