BiometricsJames Nelson

Overview

Abstract Introduction Expository

Fingerprint Scanning Facial Recognition Hand Geometry Vein Pattern Recognition Iris Scanning Retina Scanning Gait Recognition Voice Recognition

Experiment Accomplishments,

Redirections & False Starts How Someone Might

Continue Conclusion

Abstract

Biometrics is extremely effective in security applications and is used in multiple instances that include the government, military and business. It is also a field that is rapidly growing and expanding. This project will look at various biometric methods including iris scanning, retina scanning, hand geometry, facial geometry, fingerprint scanning and others to see how they are done, and their general effectiveness. My hypothesis is that biometrics is the future of security and that it is coming into the mainstream where even more people will be able to take advantage of the technology.

Introduction

Focus on security in technology Up to this point

“What you know” Passwords, PINs

“What you have” Smart Card, Remote

Biometrics is different “What you are”

Utilizes a physical or behavioral characteristic of a user’s body for identification

Introduction

With the potential accuracy of these methods, biometrics should be used in all situations, right?

Not necessarily Following are descriptions, advantages,

disadvantages and real-life situations for biometrics A biometric device, the SanDisk Cruzer Profile, will

have its everyday use detailed

Project Goals

Provide an overview of biometric technology Demonstrate the benefits of biometrics Make readers aware of the potential pitfalls that can

be caused by biometrics Evaluate the potential benefit of a biometric device for

Juniata faculty and staff

Fingerprint Scanning

Well known Based on two assumptions:

Fingerprint details are permanent

Fingerprints of an individual are unique

“A fingerprint is made up of a pattern of ridges and furrows as well as characteristics that occur at Minutiae points (ridge bifurcation or a ridge ending)” (Beal).

Fingerprint Scanning

Scan the fingerprint of the subject with a built-in sensor

It may take a picture of the fingerprint, or it may take points of the fingerprint and store a “template” rather than the whole fingerprint

Often linked with other authentication methods such as PINs or Smart Cards

Fingerprint Scanning

Advantages Template uses little space Easy registration process Little interaction needed

Disadvantages User hesitancy Dirty, cut fingerprints Easier to fool

Fingerprint Scanning

Real-World Application Child Care Facilities and Schools

Access control Allows staff to do tasks other than door monitoring Can be used for time accounting

Facial Recognition

Two-Dimensional System is designed to find close matches to particular facial

features such as eyes, nose, mouth, cheekbones, chin and forehead. These features are then compared to a database of static images (Reynolds).

Three-Dimensional “Technology captures facial images by using a number of

digital cameras positioned around the subject's face or by using a structured light grid that captures facial-structure data” (Greenemeier).

Facial Recognition

Advantages Able to pick out a face in the crowd When match is made, alert the proper people

Disadvantages Performance decreases linearly as the enrollment database

size goes up Two-dimensional easily fooled “Big Brother”

Facial Recognition

Real-World Application Tampa Bay Police Department Airport and Border Security

Hand Geometry

Users align their hand according to guide marks on a hand geometry reader

The reader then captures a three-dimensional image of the user’s hand, including the fingers and knuckles

This data is then stored in a template in the system

Hand Geometry

Advantages Robustly built Easy to use 20 byte template

Disadvantages Scanners must be large enough to hold a spread out human

hand Small amount of data points collected by the scanner can

lead to higher false positives and false negatives than some other biometric technologies

Hygiene perception

Hand Geometry

Real-World Application Scott Air Force Base

Access control system 100% uptime 2.7% false negative 0.0% false positive As good as or better at access control than human security

guards Allowed guards to tend to other duties

Vein Pattern Recognition

Scanner has a CCD camera built-in, along with LEDs that project near-infrared waves

“The high absorbance rate of near-infrared wave length of hemoglobin in the blood vessel enables the finger vein pattern to be acquired by CCD camera” (Hitachi).

Vein Pattern Recognition

Advantages Different even for identical twins Not easily observed Stable, robust

Disadvantages Hand deformations Hygiene perceptions

Vein Pattern Recognition

Real-World Application Lora SE210 Laptop Japanese ATMs Future vehicle door handles

Iris Scanning

The iris, or the colored part of the human eye, has unique characteristics that make it a viable source for identification

Many biometric methods are said to have 13 to 60 distinct characteristics, the iris is believed to have 266 unique spots

It is also believed that every iris is unique and stays the same over time and across environments

Iris Scanning

A user’s iris is photographed with a black and white, high-resolution camera

Once the image is collected, analysis and processing of a connecting tissue in the iris, called the trabecular meshwork Differentiating characteristics of the iris include ligaments, furrows,

ridges, crypts, rings, corona, and freckles Create an “optical ‘fingerprint’” (GlobalSecurity.org) The optical fingerprint is put into a digital form so it can be

stored within a database

Iris Scanning

Advantages Highly protected, internal organ Can be imaged from a reasonable distance High degree of randomness

Disadvantages Relatively small target Moving target Eyelashes, eyelids and lenses can also obscure the iris

Iris Scanning

Real-World Application Freehold Borough School District in New Jersey

Retina Scanning

Sometimes mistaken for iris scanning, but has nothing to do with the iris

The retina is the patterns of blood vessels on the thin nerve at the back of the eyeball that processes light entering the pupil

The idea that retinal patterns could be used as unique identifiers was brought up in research during the 1930’s

Even with this knowledge, the first retinal scanner was not commercially produced until 1984 Eyedentification 7.5

Retina Scanning

During a retinal scan, a user brings their eye very close to the lens of the camera being used for the scanning

Must look directly into the lens Enrollment can also take up to a minute or more Must be scanned every time for authentication

Retina Scanning

Advantages Highly accurate Patterns remain stable If killed for their retina patterns, a deceased person’s retina

deteriorates too quickly to be of any use to an attacker No known way to duplicate a retina

Disadvantages Diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure,

and Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome can affect retina patterns

Demanding enrollment process

Retina Scanning

Real-World Application Nuclear Power Plants Missile Silos Other high security installations

Gait Recognition

First method The first method uses a radar system, very similar to the kind that is

used by police officers trying to catch speeders on highways. This looks at the “gait cycle” that is formed by a person’s

movements over time (Cristol). As a person’s upper and lower leg, knee, and foot move while

walking, the radar is keeping track of the continuous cycle of movement.

This creates the “gait cycle.”

Second method Measure static characteristics such as a person’s leg length Can be viewed from many angles

Gait Recognition

Advantages In an ideal state, it would be able to identify subjects up to

500 feet away, under any conditions Can be coupled with other biometrics Non-intrusive

Disadvantages Public perception of bringing together facial recognition and

gait recognition technology, creating a “24/7 human identification system” (Koerner)

Not fully reliable

Gait Recognition

Real-World Application None found Attribute this to the unreliable nature of the technology Most information pointed to a potential commercial

availability time of 2008

Voice Recognition

May be confused with speech recognition, but they are not the same

Speech recognition technology is used to convert spoken words into text

Voice recognition takes the unique sound of a voice and matches it to a particular person, authenticating that person for entry into a system (Briggs)

Voice Recognition

Users are usually made to speak a short pass phrase “It also could be a set of phrases spoken to a challenge or

prompt, such as ‘What is the name of your favorite pet?’” (Briggs)

If it's responding correctly, the technology will attempt to match your utterance's timbre and pattern of speech against the pattern stored in the system in digital form

This comparison is used to create a mathematical score using algorithms to tell if there is a high confidence or low confidence in the authenticity of the user’s voice

Voice Recognition

Advantages Hands-free Ability to be mobile

Disadvantages Need relatively quiet environment Distance between device and user

Voice Recognition

Real-World Application University of California Davis Medical Center

Experiment

SanDisk Cruzer Profile 512 MB USB Flash Drive Information about the device can be found at SanDisk.com Purchased from NewEgg.com If the Cruzer was successful during testing, it could be

implemented as a secure way to transfer more sensitive files for faculty and staff across campus, or to and from their homes

Experiment

First Plugin Enrollment Tutorial Fingerprint Enrollment Two drives appear in My Computer System tray icon appears

User can now use the drive at any computer Profile program is contained on USB drive Window will pop up asking to open the drive through

the Profile program Swipe finger and access is obtained

Experiment

CruzerPass Login storage for web sites Only works with IE

CruzerLogin For logging in to Windows machines Program must be installed on computer

Experiment

Trying to “break” the scanner Dirty fingerprints Wet fingerprints Daily wear and tear

Recommendation Could be an excellent product for a number of faculty and

staff on campus

Accomplishments, Redirections andFalse Starts

Accomplished my project goals Redirections

New expository format Explanation Pros Cons Real-World Application

Second-half schedule

False starts Removed DNA Scanning and societal impact sections

How Someone Might Continue

DNA Scanning Fingerprint reader and timekeeping software

Conclusion

Biometric methods are the future Security is about striking balances All security methods will have issues Education on biometric methods is key Be ready to see biometrics, as it may usher in a new

era for technology