What’s new with biometrics?

There is so much excitement surrounding biometrics as it migrates from high-security applications into the mainstream. Manufacturers are emphasising the user experience, and rightfully so. Biometrics are “the ultimate wearable,” which means they can offer unrivalled convenience. On-the-move solutions further improve that experience, and such systems are now available using modalities other than the face – a modality that has raised privacy concerns because of its ability to be used for surveillance. There is a growing demand for multifactor authentication in physical security applications. Pairing cards or PIN codes with biometrics makes it impossible for users to share credentials or for imposters to use lost or cloned cards. Multimodal devices are coming to market that can perform dual or multifactor authentication as quickly as traditional access readers. Also, look for an expansion of integrated solutions that leverage biometrics. Time and attendance, visitor management, point of sale, and logical access are all applications in which biometrics improve convenience, reduce fraud, and streamline administrative operations.

Biometrics have contributed to major strides in access control technologies, specifically with a shift towards more secure and convenient authentication methods. Traditional access control methods that use biometrics, like fingerprint and facial recognition, have evolved with improved accuracy and resistance to spoofing. Facial recognition technology has also gained prominence, leveraging AI for enhanced precision and adaptability to varying conditions. Multi-factor authentication biometric systems that combine multiple identifiers such as a credential with fingerprints, facial features, and iris scans offer flexibility, heightened security and reduced false positives. Additionally, the integration of behavioural biometrics – analysing situations in real-time with AI-powered analytics on a camera – adds an extra layer of authentication to modern access control systems to prevent tailgating, exceed occupancy limits, or verify proper safety equipment is worn, etc. These developments collectively contribute to a more robust, user-friendly, and sophisticated landscape in biometric access control.

The application of biometrics in the travel industry has proven to be a new and increasingly useful tool in achieving global seamless travel. This past year, companies like Eurostar implemented digital travel credentials (DTCs) that allow passengers to forgo carrying physical passports or tickets with them and instead turn to biometric-backed verification. As a result, the number of manual checkpoints required was reduced drastically, and security officials were provided with additional support in identifying falsified documents and IDs. The introduction of biometrics does not mean we should eradicate physical security measures altogether. Instead, biometrics should act as an additional measure for organisations to fortify and bolster traditional physical security practices, helping to catch threats like AI-generated morphed photographs or digital injection attacks used to evade endpoint security checks. In our increasingly digital age, a hybrid security approach will be critical to ensure secure, seamless travel for passengers across the globe.

In 2023, 85% of fraud was categorised as impersonation fraud. Advancements in AI and machine learning have triggered greater security threats, empowering bad actors to generate multimedia content that surpasses previous levels of realism to manipulate and steal someone's identity. Conversely, AI has streamlined and enhanced the usability of biometric information to achieve intended insights and outcomes, like verifying people quickly and accurately without the friction of requiring manual input or substantial hardware. With the growing complexity of identity verification, businesses and consumers are leveraging AI in biometrics. For example, AI-powered liveness detection technology, like facial recognition tools, depth perception, and motion and environment analysis, fulfils functions comparable to hundreds of checks in seconds. Facial recognition works with sophisticated algorithms to determine if a subject is physically present and alive when their biological or physiological characteristics are captured. These recent advances decrease the risk of fraud and impersonation while bolstering end-user satisfaction.