After finishing the collection of questionnaires I then finished a detailed discussion on the data achieved and then analyzed the primary data, which was then followed by the interpretation and observations.
I then gathered secondary data from various places like websites, news articles, and books concerning the same topic as I felt that primary data wasn’t enough for me to analyze and come to a final conclusion, which would answer my research question. I then the finished a detailed discussion on the same and analyzed the secondary data after which I completed the interpretation and observations.
After all the research on primary data and the secondary data, I went analyzed the primary and secondary data and I came to a conclusion on the same.
I then wrote a final conclusion, which would answer my research question.
Primary data analysis
The questionnaires were distributed at the two work places to find out users responses towards these devices.
At Flamingo Pharma Ltd.
According to the results of the questionnaires, all the target audience had used a fingerprint device at the same work place. Most of them were well informed about the biometrics technology. There is a fingerprint device at Flamingo Pharma itself. They not only use fingerprint but also have also use voice recognition and retina recognition on their laptops. These devices are used by almost all of them everyday. When questioned about how useful these devices are, most of them find it very easy to use and are very helpful.
When interview the M.D of the company he says that these devices are very useful to us as we are running a company and it’s useful to us for attendance purpose and all the results are stored in the data base and are helpful at the end of the month while paying the employees. These devices are also used as a method of authentication to enter certain rooms in this particular workplace where there is the storage of goods and money.
Majority of the people in Flamingo pharma use these devices particular devices and they are used for various purposes. There were many such employees who even have these devices at home for security and safety purposes, as told by one that the locks these days can be easily broken now-a-days, higher security level is required for everyone.
At Flamingo Pharma they feel that the card swipe and other suck attendance devices can be misused and others may swipe the card for someone else, where as in fingerprint device it can’t really be manipulated.
At R.B.K. international academy: -
R.B.K. international academy is an I.B. World school and I have conducted a research in this particular school and even here a fingerprint scanner is used for the attendance purposes.
About 80% of the people are aware about the biometrics technology. All the teachers in this school use it. They even make use of these devices in their laptops and computers. Most of them feel that it is a easier to access and there is no need of remembering passwords. The school finds it goods as whenever a particular teacher enters she/he swipes his/her finger and all the data is then stored on the data base, it records the time you enter, it marks the attendance, therefore it is found very useful. Most of the teachers also find these devices very useful.
Many of them even make use of voice recognition devices on their mobile phones. There are even certain areas in the school premises, which have biometric devices for authentication. The students also use these devices and are aware of it. They even use it for authentication of their laptops and mobile phones. The students also find these devices very useful and there is no need of saving and remembering passwords.
Secondary data analysis
Future of biometrics: -
Will biometrics gain universal acceptance and be a factor in our future? In today’s world there are so many users of biometrics and are increasing rapidly. The biometrics systems are very hard to mimic and the most important reason is that the biological trait cannot be lost. They’re as possibilities of loosing a password, key or a credit card. There are many people who are not comfortable in using these devices. It was also raised as social and ethical issues as “measurements can be obtained from an individual with or without their consent and in some cases with or without their consent and in some cases with or without their knowledge.” If a password or code becomes compromised or if a key is stolen an individual has some form of recourse, however if a biometric is compromised, there is a serious problem as the individual characteristic on which the biometric is based cannot be changed. This is a good reason that encryption is recommended by leading industry organizations such as International Biometrics Industry Association (IBIA) and the BioAPI Consortium. The answer to a prominent issue of what if the authentication does not work is to have a backup method to utilize as well in the event that something goes wrong and you cannot be authenticated with the primary method. (Gary Daniel, “Biometrics – the wave of the future”)
Some of the current uses of this technology are the US-VISIT program that was instituted in January 2004 where the U.S. Department of Homeland Security takes photographs and digital fingerprints of some of the visitors prior to them entering the U.S. and then compares them to a database of known criminals and terrorists. Some Federal buildings and corporations are utilizing biometrics for entry to the office buildings and secure areas. There are a number of countries as well that are in the process of implementing biometrics into passports as well. Biometrics is being utilized for border security as well as at airports around the globe. Will the methods when implemented actually make us safer? Can this technology make us more secure? These are some of the questions that people should be asking themselves. (Gary Daniel, “Biometrics – the wave of the future”)
According to this book: - Security in computing by Pfleeger and Pfleeger. The three categories of privacy concerns are as follows: -
Unintended functional scope: the authentication does more that authenticate, for example finding a tumor in the eye from a scan or detecting arthritis from a hand reading.
Unintended application scope: the authentication routine identifies the subject, for example if a subject enrolls under a false name but is identified by a match with an existing biometric record in another database.
Convert identification: the subject is identified without seeking identification or authentication, for example if the subject is identified as a face in a crowd.
False negatives: -
The fingerprint scanner produces results, which are slightly different every time, which depends on the system being configured on the tolerance level. If the tolerance level is configured very lose, you can virtually eliminate false negatives at the cost of greatly increasing false positives. The accuracy rate is also heavily influenced by how many possible fingerprints matches the system has to be considered. The accuracy rate is also heavily influenced by how many possible fingerprint matches the system has to consider. If the system has to match your scan against a large database of enrolled fingerprints it's far more likely to come up with a false positive and somewhat more likely to come up with a false negative Many modern systems avoid this problem by matching your fingerprint against only one possible user - the user stored in your card or other credential - so the chances of a false positive are very low because someone trying to trick the system can't just match ‘anyone's’ fingerprint, they have to match ‘your’ fingerprint. Also, the match tolerance can be set very high thereby further reducing the chances of a false positive but increasing the chances of a false negative. (Future Lab)
So you can virtually eliminate the false, but doesn't the relatively high false negative rate mean that legitimate users will be frequently locked out? Not necessarily; it depends on the penalty for getting a false negative. In most physical access and IT applications, if you get a false negative, you just have to scan your finger a second time so a high false-negative rate is an inconvenience, not a security issue. Let's say it takes you 2 seconds to scan your finger and the false negative error rate is 5%. Most of the time (95%) access is granted in two seconds. Most of the rest of the time (99.75%) you'll get in with two swipes and four seconds. Every 400 tries or so, you'll have to wait six seconds. For applications that don’t heavily penalize users for false negatives, biometric systems can usually be tuned to an acceptably high level of accuracy. (Future Lab)
Some of the current uses of this technology are the US-VISIT program that was instituted in January 2004 where the U.S. Department of Homeland Security takes photographs and digital fingerprints of some of the visitors prior to them entering the U.S. and then compares them to a database of known criminals and terrorists. Some Federal buildings and corporations are utilizing biometrics for entry to the office buildings and secure areas. There are a number of countries as well that are in the process of implementing biometrics into passports as well. Biometrics is being utilized for border security as well as at airports around the globe. With escalating world issues such as terrorism being the drivers behind the pushing for some means of figuring out who is where and what they are doing at any given moment will some of our liberties be lost? Will the methods when implemented actually make us safer? Can this technology make us more secure? These are some of the questions that people should be asking themselves. (Gary Daniel, “Biometrics – the wave of the future”)
There are so many ways in which biometrics could enhance ones life and make it more easy and simple. It could be used to unlock a car, access an ATM machine without the pin, open doors of offices and homes where there is high security level required. It could be used to log on to accounts without passwords required. Biometrics could be used in e-commerce where it would help the companies and the users to sell and purchase products online. But still people may have personal or religious reasons for not liking the use of biometric. This is both the application of the devices and the usage of them. Especially elder people don’t like to use new technology and retina scan may seem hard to accept for them. Also people from non-technology countries may fear the use of such technology, just as the Native Americans feared that taking a photograph of them would steal their soul. Finally there are philosophical objections to the perceived loss of autonomy and control if the use of biometrics is so wide spread as to become virtually required to conduct the day-to-day aspects of one’s life. Many people see the process of scanning fingerprints as analogues to crime and police business (Vidar Ajaxon Grønland, Havard Hasli, Jon Fredrik Pettersen, “Challenging fingerprint scanner”).
Fear of disease
Having several people touch the same biometric equipment will in peoples minds, (probably true), increase transfer of bacteria and possibly diseases.
Fear of criminal activity
Watching too many movies most public presumably believes that cutting a finger of you will be enough to circumvent fingerprint censors. This is a false consumption since most high-level security sensors implements liveliness detection additionally to the scan itself. The criminal will probably force you to authenticate yourself by means of threats or other methods (Vidar Ajaxon Grønland, Havard Hasli, Jon Fredrik Pettersen, “Challenging fingerprint scanner”).
Laws
Most countries have laws that protect people against misuse of personal information, some weaker than other. Anne Cavoukian explains this in a good manner in her report as follow: -
The rights to privacy and fair information practices are part of the legal framework of most countries and come into play when dealing with any identification system like the biometrics technologies mentioned here. There are other, non-criminal, legal issues that may surround biometric systems. Labor laws in many jurisdictions limit the information that employers may require employees to provide. Privacy laws limit the disclosure of information to third parties for a purpose not consistent with the purpose of the original collection. Privacy laws may also restrict the merging of disparate databases. This would limit the ability to match biometric and other electronic information to develop a comprehensive profile about an individual. One problem with this is that the general public does not know how the biometric methods work. It is a well-known phenomenon that people is not found of using technology that they don’t understand or seem intimidating (Vidar Ajaxon Grønland, Havard Hasli, Jon Fredrik Pettersen, “Challenging fingerprint scanner”).
Religious Objections
In the United States, religious objections to biometrics might arise from a variety of different groups.9 For example; certain Christians interpret biometrics to be a “Mark of the Beast.” The objection is based on language in “Revelation”:
[The Beast] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. And his number is six hundred, threescore, and six. (Revelation, 13:16–18.) Certain Christians consider the biometric to be the brand discussed in Revelation and biometric readers as the only means of viewing these brands. Similarly, M. G. “Pat” Robertson, host of “The 700 Club” and founder of The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., observes that the “Bible says the time is going to come when you cannot buy or sell except when a mark is placed on your hand or forehead.” He expresses doubts about biometrics and notes how the technology is proceeding according to Scripture (700 Club, 1995). Religious objections have arisen when identification programs have been implemented. In Alabama, two people objected to providing an SSN, as required under Alabama law, to apply for a driver’s license. The individuals based their refusal on their sincerely held religious beliefs that prevent them from having an SSN. This case is pending in the Alabama state courts (Alabama Lawsuit, 2000). (“What concerns do biometrics raise and how do they differ from concerns about other identification methods?”).
Biometrics in banks: -
Many times the employees attempt to withdraw money from the customers account without their consent. Many-a-times it is done by some other people also, although they need the account information. There are many fraud cases and hence banks fell that higher level of security is required.
Implying this system in banking would have many advantages. Then a customer enrolls to create an account, even the fingerprint is taken and stored. No ID cards will be required for this process for the sake of attendance, which could be used for employees.
Banks have decided to install this technology for: -
Client security: -
Securing the transaction enables clients to authenticate themselves before any transaction is there in their account.
Bank security: -
To keep money in safes which open with the help of biometric devices.
Locker safety: -
The clients don’t have to carry keys all around; they could access the lockers with a simple swipe of the fingerprint.
There are many bank companies, which have incorporated biometrics technology in their systems. When a person goes to an ATM, the users photo is taken. If there is a complain then the photo is checked and the fraud is identified, where as when biometric devices like face recognition will be added to ATM machines, there would be less ways of fraud and the machine wont let the person browse or remove money from the account if it doesn’t match.
Facts of biometrics in banking: -
Deutche-bank is a European financial service provider with 65,000 employees, Installed AC Controls security to establish biometric access to their building. Fingerprint readers determine who can enter their offices and also restricts what areas each person can access (Steve Krawczyk, Biometrics in the Banking Industry)
Banco-Bradesco, South America’s largest private bank has Incorporated Nuance technology to deploy a speech-enabled bill payment System, which can handle more than 300 simultaneous callers (Steve Krawczyk, Biometrics in the Banking Industry).
Bill Payment takes place when a person: -
- Verify: Speak their account number
- Read the 48-digit bar code on the bill then the system, extracts the payee, customer name, due date, and the payment amount
- Able to recognize accents and dialects of all Portuguese speakers in Brazil
Chase Manhattan Bank For bank transactions: -
- Enroll with a standard phrase
- Go to a podium housing a modified telephone
- Swipe the bank card (identification)
- Speak the standard phrase (verification)
- Receive a receipt to present to teller
- Able to pull the customer’s file before they get to the teller
Performance: - Reported False Reject Rates of 2%
(Steve Krawczyk, Biometrics in the Banking Industry)
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
- Chose vein pattern recognition, coupled with smartcards, to increase security of teller and ATM transactions
- Chose vein pattern recognition to increase security of over the counter transactions
(Steve Krawczyk, Biometrics in the Banking Industry)
Biometric passports: -
What are biometric passports?
Due to increase in crime rates, better security and technology is required. Biometric passports are introduced in many countries for the same. Biometric devices are also known as e-passports, which is a combined paper and electronic password. This passport uses biometrics to authenticate the identity of travelers.
The biometric device uses contactless smart card technology, which includes a microprocessor chip and antenna embedded in the front or back of the cover, or center page of the passport. The important information is printed on the data page as well saved on to the chip. This chip uses the public key in fracture (PKI) to authenticate data stored electronically which makes it impossible to forge,
Some of the countries having/ introducing biometric passports:-
India: -
India has designed an electronic passport made in India by the Central Passport Organization, the India security press and IIT Kanpur. Consisting of a security chip with all personal data and digital images of the holder; the passport use 64kb chips, which contains photographs of the owner and a fingerprint. It is expected to launch in 2012 (Wikipedia.org).
Tajikistan: -
Biometric passport will be introduced in mid 2010 in this country (Wikipedia.org).
Switzerland: -
Switzerland is releasing with new passports with fingerprint by the mid of 2010 (Wikipedia.org).
Pakistan: -
Introduced in 2004 and NADRA has issued more than 7 million passports (Wikipedia.org).
The United Kingdom: -
Introduced in 2006 and is available (Wikipedia.org).
Austria: -
Available since June 16th, 2006 (Wikipedia.org).
Germany: -
Available since November 2005 (Wikipedia.org).
Poland: -
Available since 28 August 2006 (Wikipedia.org).
Turkmenistan: -
Turkmenistan became the first country in ex-USSR mid- Asia region to issue ICAO compliant biometric passport. Passport is available since 10 July 2008 (Wikipedia.org).
Conclusion
As we have seen that biometrics technology is used in many places and is getting recognized amongst many people. It is becoming very popular and many of the workplaces, schools, and police departments use it for various purposes.
Now-a-days most of the laptops also come with a inbuilt device such as fingerprint and retina scanner. Such devices are used for security purposes to unlock particular devices. Such technology is rapidly increasing and is being added to mobile phones, PDA’s etc. the typed passwords used to unlock a device are being replaced by these devices. It becomes much easier and many a times a user could possibly forget the password by in the case of biometrics that is not possible.
The option of a biometric device for security is much safer compared to keys and locks. The locks could be broken into and duplicate keys of the lock could be made and misused, where as in these devices it is not possible to mimic it and needs proper authentication. There are many disadvantages of these devices and many social and ethical issues that need to be resolved. Many of the users have a fear of disease and the laws of every country are different. Many users don’t feel secure if their data i.e. fingerprints etc. is saved on to the database. There are even a few religious objections existing that need to be resolved.
Due to rapid growth in usage of these devices and user-friendly features, the usage of it is increasing day-by-day. And it is expected to gain more importance and will gain user acceptance in the near future gradually.
(Word Count: 3,989)
Bibliography
- Gary Daniel, “Biometrics – the wave of the future?”
http://www.infosecwriters.com/text_resources/pdf/Biometrics_GDaniel.pdf
Date of Extraction: 15th January, 2009
- Phil Libin, “A practical summary of the advantages and drawbacks of today’s biometric systems for mainstream customers”, 2005
http://www.assaabloyfuturelab.com/399.epibrw
Date of Extraction: 23rd March, 2009
-
Vidar Ajaxon Grønland, Havard Hasli, Jon Fredrik Pettersen, “Challenging fingerprint scanner”, October 16th, 2005
http://www.vidarg.net/projects/Challenging_fingerprint_scanners.pdf
Date of Extraction: 2nd April, 2009
- “What concerns do biometrics raise and how do they differ from concerns about other identification methods?”
http://www.biteproject.org/documents/rand_report_biometric.pdf
Date of Extraction: 23rd April, 2009
- “U.S.A. Supreme Technology”
http://www.usasupremetech.com/info.php
Date of Extraction: 7th May, 2009
- “History of Biometrics”
http://ntrg.cs.tcd.ie/undergrad/4ba2.02/biometrics/history.html
Date of Extraction: 23rd May, 2009
