What is biometric authentication?
Biometric authentication is a security measure enterprises employ to confirm the identity of employees, customers, and third parties. Devices such as cameras and fingerprint scanners match pre-recorded biometric data with corresponding biometric factors presented to gain access to devices, applications, and databases. Different types of biometric authentication exist, including facial recognition, fingerprint scans, eye scans, and voice recognition, among others.
As a security measure, biometric authentication software removes the need for tokens or passwords that require manual input, which can be lost, forgotten, or stolen. Biometric security measures have been increasingly integrated into security systems, apps, and smartphones for their irreplaceability. Single sign-on (SSO) technology often employs biometric authentication as part of a multi-factor authentication (MFA) security measure. To be included in G2’s biometric authentication category, biometric factors must be recorded using native device components such as a smartphone’s fingerprint scanner or built-in camera.
Types of biometric authentication
There are several different methods to authenticate digital identities with biometrics, including:
- Fingerprint scan: Increasingly, smartphones and computer keyboards are constructed with built-in fingerprint scanners to easily record and later authenticate user identities. Fingerprint scans are commonly used to authenticate a user’s identity to make purchases online or log in to accounts.
- Facial recognition: Software that records and authenticates facial features is often used for MFA purposes, especially when integrated with smartphones for SSO within organizations.
- Voice recognition: Often used to prevent identity fraud, voice recognition matches pre-recorded audio samples from individuals to vocal imprints recorded at the time assets, data, and physical locations are requested from users. Voice recognition is difficult to spoof, even with the rise of deep fakes and AI.
- Iris scan: Iris scans are typically recorded with infrared light, which detects the minute and highly differentiated characteristics of an individual’s iris that the naked eye cannot see. Iris scans are one of the most secure forms of biometric data, as it is nearly impossible to have accidental matches across extensive data sets.
Benefits of using biometric authentication
There are several use cases and benefits of using biometric authentication for security purposes, which include:
- Heightened security: Employing biometric authentication security measures bolsters an organization’s security posture, as biometric markers are difficult for fraudsters to spoof. Most biometric markers are incredibly individualized, including fingerprints and iris scans. At the same time, AI and deep fakes can’t yet create artificial vocal recordings that sound natural enough to trick voice recognition security measures. For added security, organizations may require multiple biometric factors to authenticate an end user’s identity.
- End-user convenience: A boon for employees and customers, biometric authentication is a convenient way for end-users to access payment options, company assets, and more. By simply scanning their fingerprint or face from a smartphone or computer, end users can get what they need faster than they would if they had to use a traditional token or password.
- Non-transferable: Every person’s biometric markers are highly individualized and inextricably linked to their identity. Passwords and tokens can be stolen, but biometric markers are non-transferable.
Biometric authentication best practices
To make biometric authentication effective within an organization, users can follow these best practices:
- Security integration: It's vital to ensure the organization’s security team, IT professionals, and leadership fully understand the benefits biometric authentication can provide when successfully integrated into a security framework. When considering products for adding a layer of biometric security to the organization, users must ensure they are compatible with their pre-existing security products and services. Often, MFA and SSO products are programmed with built-in biometric authentication capabilities.
- End-user awareness: End users unfamiliar with biometric security measures or who have never shared their biometric data with an enterprise or software may hesitate to do so the first time. An organization’s leadership and security teams should take the time to explain why these security measures benefit the entire organization and assuage end-users' concerns. Doing so will increase end-user adoption.
- Technological accessibility and inclusivity: Before deploying biometric authentication measures, teams responsible for their organizations’ asset management, including company computers and smartphones, should confirm that assets in the field have biometric authentication capabilities. This task often falls to IT teams and may require organization-wide upgrades so all end users can benefit from better security.
Biometric authentication vs. identity verification
Biometric authentication should not be confused with identity verification, though “authentication” and “verification” are closely related and often used interchangeably. Adding to the two terms’ conflation is the increased prevalence of identity verification software that records biometric factors.
Identities must be verified before they can be authenticated. Identity verification usually occurs once, and when the end user returns to access protected information, data, and assets, they must authenticate themselves upon their request.
Verification: This term refers to a security system learning the identity proposed to it and confirming that identity belongs to the person proposing it. This is often achieved by verifying multiple credentials, such as a government-issued photo ID, a birth certificate, a Social Security Number, and more, and then recording additional factors, such as facial features. A security system would then be able to match the photo ID to the picture the end user would have been prompted to take and confirm that the person requesting verification is the person in the proposed identity. Another way to think of identity verification is this query: “Who is this person in the real world?”
Authentication: Authentication is the process of recording or presenting unique characteristics or data, including biometric information, to establish that the end user requesting access is authorized. The end user requesting access to an organization’s assets or data authenticates their identity to prove their identity has already been verified and provisioned with the proper credentials to access the requested information. Authentication can be thought of as the following question: “Is this person who they say they are?”
Enterprises and end users should be aware of the types of biometric data collected to authenticate identities. It is essential to understand the numerous use cases this powerful and spoof-resistant technology has while also being aware of the sensitive nature of the data itself.
When integrating or upgrading biometric authentication capabilities, enterprises must ensure the biometric data used to authenticate end-user identities is as secure as possible.
Brandon Summers-Miller
Brandon is a Senior Research Analyst at G2 specializing in security and data privacy. Before joining G2, Brandon worked as a freelance journalist and copywriter focused on food and beverage, LGBTQIA+ culture, and the tech industry. As an analyst, Brandon is committed to helping buyers identify products that protect and secure their data in an increasingly complex digital world. When he isn’t researching, Brandon enjoys hiking, gardening, reading, and writing about food.
