August 09, 2024
Anonybit Team
What Does The Future Of Biometrics Look Like? Future Trends
The landscape of biometric authentication techniques is vibrant, offering future potential and innovation. As we embrace digital, the future of biometrics emerges as a vital component of identity management. Are you ready to explore the trends and applications shaping the world of biometric technology?
At Anonybit, our identity management platform makes it easy to implement biometrics safely and securely. Focusing on practical solutions, we aim to empower you to explore biometric technology’s potential trends and applications.
Table of Contents
- The Present State Of Biometric Technology
- Use Cases Of Biometric Technology
- 5 Great Benefits of Biometrics
- What Does The Future of Biometrics Look Like?
- What Are The Challenges?
- The Role of AI Technologies in Biometrics
- What Regulations Currently Govern Biometric Data Protection?
- What Does The Future Market Of Biometrics Look Like?
- Book A Free Demo To Learn More About Our Integrated Identity Management Platform
The Present State Of Biometric Technology
Biometric technology leverages unique physical or behavioral characteristics to verify and authenticate individuals’ identities, such as:
- Fingerprint
- Face
- Voice
- Iris
Biometrics technology, such as facial recognition, is fast becoming an integral part of various sectors for several reasons.
- Biometrics authentication methods offer enhanced security, as physical and behavioral attributes are difficult to replicate compared to traditional methods like passwords They provide convenience. One does not need to remember complicated passwords or carry additional items for identification.
- Biometrics enable quick access and authentication, saving time and reducing operational costs.
These technologies also offer a possible solution to the growing concern of identity theft, an issue in the digital age. Biometric systems can uniquely link an individual to their identity, making it more challenging for fraudsters to impersonate others. As such, the future of biometrics looks promising.
Related Reading
- Biometric Identity Theft
- Biometric Data Security
- Can Biometrics Be Hacked
- Privacy Issues With Biometrics
- Advantages Of Biometrics
- Biometric Privacy Laws
- Biometric Authentication Advantages And Disadvantages
- Biometric Authentication
- Privacy by Design
- Multi Factor Authentication Using Biometrics
Use Cases Of Biometric Technology
Biometric technologies are evolving rapidly, and these advancements promise to shape the future of identification. Here are some of the most common methods:
Face Recognition
Utilizing unique patterns and shapes found in human beings, such as a person’s face, this method has seen continued growth due to its non-contact nature and widespread use in smartphones
Fingerprint Recognition
One of the most well-known methods is identifying individuals based on the unique ridges and valleys in their fingerprints. Originally used primarily for crime scene investigations, fingerprint scanning is also becoming standard for user authentication on many devices.
Iris Recognition
This highly secure method uses the unique patterns found in the colored ring of the eye, the iris. This type of biometric scanning is used in high-security applications like border control or critical infrastructure facilities, where very high levels of accuracy are required.
Palm Print Recognition
Like fingerprint recognition, this method uses unique patterns in a person’s palm print. This offers a high level of security and is typically used in law enforcement or high-security applications. Palm print recognition is typically used in conjunction with vein biometrics.
Signature Recognition
This method analyzes the physical activity of signing, like the stroke order, pressure, and speed of a signature, making it more secure than merely comparing visual signatures. Common use cases include document verification and banking transactions.
These methods improve the security of identity verification and offer a more user-friendly and efficient alternative to traditional methods. The methods can be combined for even more robust biometric verification.
5 Great Benefits Of Biometrics
1. No passwords
Given its uniqueness, biometrics can effectively curb password sharing. For instance, fingerprint authentication ensures that only the authorized individual gains access. Biometrics eliminates the need for users to remember complex passwords, reducing the likelihood of weak password usage. It’s a win-win: users enjoy a seamless login experience, and organizations benefit from enhanced security and lower costs associated with fraud and password resets.
In fact, it’s estimated that the average firm spends $5.2 million a year on setting and resetting passwords. According to the Service Desk Institute, Gartner found that 40% of all help desk calls are related to password resets, while Forrester reports that each password reset call costs a business around $70. A biometric authentication platform frees the IT team from the overhead of password management and saves money year in and year out.
2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
SaaS companies can now add another layer of security by combining the power of biometrics with other methods. Read more in our detailed guide to MFA.
3. User-friendly experience
Biometric authentication allows users to sign up and sign in faster, removing the need to remember passwords. It’s also highly accurate, reducing the need for resets and ensuring a seamless user experience.
4. Higher Security
The unique biological traits used in biometric systems make it exceedingly difficult for unauthorized users to gain access.
5. Audit Trail
Biometric systems keep a detailed record of who accessed what and when making it easier for security teams to monitor activity and investigate incidents.
Enhanced Security for Passwordless Authentication
At Anonybit, our decentralized biometrics system design helps companies prevent data breaches and account takeover fraud. With a decentralized biometrics solution, companies can enable passwordless login, wire verification, step-up authentication, and help desk authentication. We aim to protect companies from data breaches, account takeovers, and synthetic identity fraud.
To achieve this goal, we offer security solutions such as:
- Secure storage of biometrics and PII data
- Support for the entire user lifecycle
- 1:1 biometric authentication and 1:N biometric matching to prevent duplicates, synthetics and blocklisted identities
Anonybit eliminates the tradeoffs between privacy and security. Prevent data breaches, enable strong authentication to eliminate account takeovers, and enhance the user experience across the enterprise using Anonybit.
Book a free demo today to learn more about our integrated identity management platform.
Related Reading
- Biometric Authentication Methods
- Biometric Data Privacy
- Biometric Data Breach
- Biometric Spoofing
- Device Based Verification
- How Is Biometric Data Stored
- Biometrics In Healthcare
- Biometric Authentication Banking
- Biometric Data GDPR
What Does The Future Of Biometrics Look Like?
The Future of Biometrics in Healthcare
Biometrics will play a crucial role in healthcare in the future. The technology will secure electronic health records and other medical records by verifying patient identities. Integrating artificial intelligence with biometric data can help gauge patient responses and assist with diagnostics. More efficient biometric processes, such as improved fingerprint recognition or facial recognition systems, also speeds up patient treatment processes.
The Future of Biometrics in Banking and Financial Services
The banking and financial services sector is also set to grow significantly in biometrics technology. This growth will be driven by several factors, including biometric financial providers meeting Know Your Customer requirements imposed by anti-money laundering regulations. Digital banking has led to the increased use of biometrics to authenticate the identities of online customers.
Biometrics provide a unique and secure identifier compared to other two-factor and multi-factor authentication methods, enhancing security. Financial institutions are increasingly using selfies for document and identity verification and these use cases will extend to downstream authentication to verify ACH transactions, check-cashing interactions and validate identity during high-risk activities online like adding a payee or changing account details.
The Future of Biometrics in Hospitality and Travel
Biometrics technology is also making headway in the hospitality and travel industries. In these industries, biometrics has become essential for airline security passenger authentication, especially in response to terrorism risks.
- Government-issued ID cards such as passports, could incorporate biometric features for identity verification.
- Airport security terminals are adopting facial recognition technology to verify passenger identities efficiently, aiding in quick security check-ins.
This technology also accelerates access to airport services, such as car rentals. Hospitality providers are leveraging biometrics to allow guests to check in through selfies. Facial recognition can ensure that guests presenting selfies use live photos rather than fakes. Once onboarded through facial recognition, guests can enjoy streamlined access to additional services and repeat bookings.
The Future of Biometrics in Payments
The future of biometrics in payments also looks promising, with trends indicating a growing role for biometrics in everyday transactions. For instance, Mastercard has launched a program enabling retailers to accept payments transacted through biometric methods such as facial recognition or fingerprint scanning. Amazon is testing palm biometrics in Whole Foods and JP Morgan Chase has also announced upcoming projects in this area
The Increasing Use of Multimodal Authentication
Advancements in technology are driving the adoption of multiple methods for authentication, known as multimodal authentication. This approach may involve combining facial recognition with possession or knowledge factors to enhance security.
Multimodal authentication offers users flexibility, allowing them to choose the method that best suits their situation. For instance, facial recognition may not be viable when wearing a mask in public, but iris recognition or palm biometrics would still work.
What Are The Challenges?
Spoofing
Spoofing is a significant challenge in biometric technology. Image-based biometrics are particularly vulnerable to spoofs that can deceive systems, such as facial scanners. Liveness detection systems are critical to prevent presentation attacks as well as deepfake attacks as described below.
Deep Fakes
Another challenge to biometric technology is the rise of deepfakes. A deepfake is a visually altered picture or video that aims to appear authentic. These deceptive videos use voice spoofing and video editing to create content.
Ethical Issues
Modern biometric systems gather substantial amounts of user data during the identity verification process. This information’s secure storage and authorized use raise several ethical concerns among regulators. As biometric technologies evolve, these ethical considerations will become even more vital.
The Role of AI Technologies In Biometrics
AI Enhancements in Biometric Technology
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have revolutionized biometric data protection. AI-driven technologies have the potential to enhance the accuracy and security of biometric systems through adaptive algorithms that learn and evolve to detect and fend off sophisticated cyber threats.
AI can facilitate compliance with privacy regulations by automating common biometric data protection strategies such as data minimization, consent management, and breach detection processes. Integrating AI also necessitates additional protections against AI-specific threats, such as deepfakes and algorithmic bias, ensuring a balanced approach to innovation and privacy.
How AI Will Improve Biometric Technology
AI-driven technologies can enhance the accuracy and security of biometric systems through adaptive algorithms that learn and evolve to detect and fend off sophisticated cyber threats. AI can also streamline compliance with privacy regulations by automating common biometric data protection strategies, such as data minimization, consent management, and breach detection processes.
The Dark Side of Generative AI
Generative AI is the driving force behind deep fakes, generally consisting of two neural networks: the generator, responsible for creating realistic content, and the discriminator, tasked with differentiating between real and fake.
Over time, these networks improve, leading to the generation of increasingly authentic and deceptive deep fakes.
The problem from an identity theft point of view is two fold – that a deep fake can present as a legitimate person AND that the deep fake will have the information to act like the legitimate person.
This means that the deep fakes used to create synthetic identities, drive impersonation and account takeover attacks and exacerbate money laundering schemes will be more effective when “armed” with legitimate information to bypass security controls. By generating fake documents, images, or even video footage of individuals, and combining them with real social security numbers, credit card numbers and other sensitive information, it will be easier to impersonate people and commit fraud.
Already, before the advent of Generative AI, we were seeing fraud trends going in an alarming direction. According to market research firm Javelin Strategy, there were $43 billion in identity fraud related losses in 2022, and looking at the latest data breach numbers from the Identity Theft Resource Center for this year so far, we are on pace for another record breaking year for fraud. While traditional methods of identity theft primarily relied on hacking databases or phishing emails, Generative AI introduces an even more insidious element.
Decentralized Biometrics for Secure and User-Friendly Identity Management
At Anonybit, we help companies prevent data breaches and account takeover fraud with our decentralized biometrics system design. With a decentralized biometrics solution, companies can enable passwordless login, wire verification, step-up authentication, and help desk authentication. We aim to protect companies from data breaches, account takeover and synthetic identity fraud.
To achieve this goal, we offer security solutions such as:
- Secure storage of biometrics and PII data
- Support for the entire user lifecycle
- 1:1 biometric authentication and 1:N biometric matching to prevent duplicates, synthetics, and blocklisted identities
Anonybit eliminates the tradeoffs between privacy and security. Prevent data breaches, enable strong authentication to eliminate account takeovers, and enhance the user experience across the enterprise using Anonybit.
Book a free demo today to learn more about our integrated identity management platform.
What Regulations Currently Govern Biometric Data Protection?
The regulatory landscape for biometric data protection currently lies in international, national, and state laws. Although it is not a main area of focus (such as AI regulation), many cyber laws have subsections related to biometric data security.
Existing Regulations on Biometric Data Processing
Key frameworks like the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set strict guidelines for biometric data processing, while other regulations, like the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in the United States, were among the first laws to address biometric privacy specifically.
Regulating Biometrics within AI Systems
The recently passed EU Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) broader strategy is to regulate biometric use within the context of artificial intelligence. AI in biometrics includes automated facial recognition or immediate analysis of user behaviors using biometrics. The EU AI Act attempts to limit the use of biometrics with AI systems to protect individual privacy and freedom of rights.
Anticipating Biometric Regulation in a Tech-Driven World
Within the next decade, users and businesses can expect more biometric technology regulation to pass as data privacy becomes a major topic of discussion amidst rapid technological innovation. It’s even more important to get ahead of the technology as development continues to ensure that rules are established to prevent user abuse and exploitation.
What Does The Future Market Of Biometrics Look Like?
The future biometrics market looks promising, with significant growth projected in the coming years. The global biometrics market is estimated to reach USD 104.22 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.30%. This growth is fueled by several factors, including increased investment by security and governmental bodies in the United States and the rising adoption of digital identity solutions all over the world.
Cloud Solutions and Increased Accessibility for Smaller Businesses
Growth will also come from the increased accessibility of biometric technologies to smaller businesses and startups. Thanks to the rollout of online and cloud-based verification platforms that can be integrated with existing digital infrastructures, organizations of all sizes can now leverage the benefits of biometric security, convenience, and protection. This democratization of biometrics allows smaller enterprises and ambitious startups to enhance their security measures effectively and affordably.
Leveling the Security Playing Field with Advanced Biometrics
Advanced biometric technologies like facial recognition and liveness checks used to be exclusive to large corporations with substantial resources. Smaller businesses can now deploy these cutting-edge technologies to strengthen their security and protect their assets, just like their larger counterparts. As the biometrics market grows, more companies will have access to innovative solutions to enhance their security posture and improve their overall operations.
Book A Free Demo To Learn More About Our Integrated Identity Management Platform
At Anonybit, we help companies prevent data breaches and account takeover fraud with our decentralized biometrics technology. With our decentralized biometrics framework, companies can enable passwordless login, wire verification, step-up authentication, help desk authentication, and more.
Comprehensive Security Solutions for Companies
We aim to protect companies from data breaches, account takeovers, synthetic identity on the rise, privacy regulations, and digital transformation. To achieve this goal, we offer security solutions such as:
- Secure storage of biometrics and PII data
- Support for the entire user lifecycle
- 1:1 authentication and 1:N matching for lookups and deduplication
Balancing Privacy and Security with Anonybit’s Integrated Platform
Anonybit eliminates the tradeoffs between privacy and security. Prevent data breaches, reduce account takeover fraud, and enhance the user experience across the enterprise using Anonybit. Book a free demo today to learn more about our integrated identity management platform.