Biometrics

Choosing the right biometric methods Biometrics security is a broad term that covers a wide landscape of options. Choosing the right biometric method is important and requires an understanding of not only what’s available but also what specific biometric application serves what purpose the best. And if there are any environmental factors that may affect the performance and effectiveness of the biometric system. For instance, different biometric devices are impacted by different conditions such as background noise, lighting and humidity. And some applications work better with different sections of the population.  For example, fingerprint software hates dry, humid conditions and is very tricky to capture on young people, whilst face recognition can be trickier in outdoor lighting.   Another important question to ask is what is the security asset that the biometric systems need to protect and who is responsible for protecting it? Another important question to ask is what is the security asset that the biometric systems need to protect and who is responsible for protecting it? Plus, how willing will your end users be to use the biometric application you are considering? For instance, there is sometimes an emotional resistance to fingerprint sensors, as some users do not like the association they have to criminality and being arrested. It’s a horses for courses thing. But understanding the information will allow you to back the right runner for your particular track. Biometrics is still the most secure and sophisticated way to manage your business security needs. Considering the right solution and using internationally experienced security experts such as Arana Security, only reinforces this. So, let’s start with fingerprint recognition, a system that analyses the junctions of the friction ridges on the pad of your finger. The fingerprint, unique to every human. Biometrics can use optical, ultrasound or capacitive sensors to match the right fingerprint to the one stored in the database. Arana uses touchless technology by IDEMIA, when the finger is held away from the sensor, which offers COVID secure entry as well. It’s a horses for courses thing. But understanding the information will allow you to back the right runner for your particular track. Security infringements can be attempted through non-enrolled users (or data subjects) simply placing their fingers on the sensor and hoping to get through. Very rarely succeeding, however.  To more sophisticated attempts that involve the real data subject being complicit or by real fingerprints obtained covertly. It is possible to obtain a fingerprint left by an unsuspecting user on a surface and create an artefact- a false fingerprint, however, this is more difficult then some would suspect as getting a clear full fingerprint is not that likely. Palm or vein authentication is in many ways a natural extension to fingertip recognition. This technology requires an infrared light taking a photograph of vein patterns. Products are normally designed to work on parts of the body that can be easily scanned, such as the palm or wrist. This type of biometrics is one of the newest and offers a high degree of protection against attack. This is due to the sophistication and hardware needed to obtain the pictures and the cooperation of the authenticated individual. Speaker recognition is another security validation option. This biometric device uses the sound of voice to differentiate a person. Either through uttering a specific password, code or phrase through free speak. Voice biometrics assess both the vocabulary, intonation and accent/ rhythm of a speaker plus the depth and shape each individual sound makes (the physical characteristics) to match to the enrolled person. Unfortunately, speaker recognition can be particularly vulnerable to attacks. In part because imitation of voice either by computer (speech synthesisers) or humans is possible. Although unless the subjects were siblings, humans can find it difficult to adequately mimic the physical characteristics, i.e., the size of larynx etc.  But state of the art speech copying systems are a real threat. Another risk is the ability to record a voice and play it back to gain verification. However, voice recognition and AI technology is now advancing offering better security. There are many options to reinforce this security, such as to use the voice identification technology throughout the call and not just at the early clearance stage. This means that any imitation attempts will likely be picked up, as the veil will slip. Similarly randomising the passcodes/ pass phrases each time, will stop the use of pre-recorded voice verification. Arana Security will always advise on the best extra layers for your businesses needs to reinforce effectiveness. They say the route to someone soul is through their eyes. Well in biometrics it’s also a useful verification tool. Iris recognition takes images of the eye using infrared light. Iris recognition is recognised as a very robust biometric tool, with very high level of differentiation between individuals and thus making it harder to attack.   Arana Security will always advise on the best extra layers for your businesses needs to reinforce effectiveness. However, there is still some risk, predominately through the presentation of a photo or video sequence of a face or eye region of a legitimate user. These attempts can be thwarted with the use of liveness detection, which can tell if a real person is present or not. Another issue can be caused by patterned contact lenses, which can lead to false matches.   Overall, iris recognition, due to the proximity to the face and the vast differences between irises, is a strong biometric authentication solution. Despite the attack risks, Biometrics is still the only way to tackle security smartly in the 21st century. Whether you use fingerprint, iris, palm or voice, or a combination of all, Arana Security will guide and support you with our bespoke and advanced solutions, before, during and after implementation.

Many companies worry about the use of biometrics as they fear the compromise of data and complying with GDPR rules. But as this article explains, adopting biometric security technology in the workplace within a GDPR context offers a super secure environment with many benefits. As long as appropriate digital security experts, such Arana Security are used for the implementation and as importantly underpinned with transparent internal communications to staff. GDPR regulation and biometrics are effectively superheroes fighting the same fight against the villains of fraud, data privacy and internet misuse.  They are allies in the war on cyber security and keeping consumers safe online. Albeit coming at it from different directions. But it is understandable that clarity is sought by some employers. UK GDPR rules require that sensitive personal data be protected and managed correctly, whilst biometric technology offers a secure future-proofed way to ensure individual validation is seamlessly and sophisticatedly processed. It has been dubbed ‘the security of the future,’ as relying on characteristics that differentiate us from one another (fingerprint, voice, iris, etc) for validation is far more secure than traditional methods such as passwords. GDPR regulation and biometrics are effectively superheroes fighting the same fight against the villains of fraud, data privacy and internet misuse. Passwords can be easily guessed and breached and reportedly account for more than ‘three quarters of workplace infringements in security.’ We know that biometric authentication offers a much more secure way to combating fraud and misconduct. Adopting the innovative technology of biometrics offers so much to businesses in terms of processing, virtual management capabilities and, of course, increased security. Another major advantage cited by industry bosses is the reliability and convenience of biometric access, especially as they offer real-time fingerprint enrolment at multiple locations. GDPR regulation is primarily concerned with the storage and use of personal data. The GDPR outline defines biometric security as “personal data resulting from specific technical processing relating to the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person, which allow or confirm the unique identification of that natural person.” Adopting the innovative technology of biometrics offers so much to businesses in terms of processing, remote management capabilities and, of course, increased security As biometric data is categorised as a ‘special category’ of personal data, employers must meet one of the below legislative conditions when implementing biometric technology. Further reading on special category can be found here.   Your data subject (employees) has given explicit consent to the use of biometric authentication; Biometric security is necessary for the purposes of carrying out obligations and exercising the specific rights of the data controller or of the data subject (employees) in the fields of employment, social security and social protection law  The processing of biometrics is critical for protecting the vital interests of the data subject; The processing is necessary for the workplace and exercise of defends of legal claims;  Biometrics is essential for reasons of public interests GDPR compliance should naturally be adhered to at all stages of implementing biometric access control systems and security. The fundamental advice for adopting biometrics in the age of the GDPR, is to ensure you use an accredited biometric security company to manage the implementation and encryption process. The fundamental advice for adopting biometrics in the age of the GDPR, is to ensure you use an accredited biometric security company to manage the implementation and encryption process. In addition, it is also important to ensure you have robust and transparent communications with employees. Staff need to be engaged along the journey and reassured that in no way will their fingerprint data be stored or compromised. Staff may be naturally concerned by a change in system and therefore it is important for compliance, indeed a legal requirement that staff opting in to using biometric authentic. An honest and timely communications engagement plan will assist internal stakeholders to adopt the technology and see its benefits from the start.

As we all know, our world has changed forever. The pandemic has ravished through infrastructures and left an indelible mark on all aspects of our lives. We are so much more aware of the health dangers that proximity and contact with one another can bring. One industry particularly affected is the in-store retail sector. Which was already suffering a deep decline in popularity before the pandemic. The situation rapidly forced retail bosses to seek solutions to offer a safe, personalised and enhanced consumer service to entice their customers back to their stores. As well as offering a way to protect the health and safety of their employees. A solution many have found in the increased use of contactless biometric technology. And through the merging of face-to-face and digital experiences in-store. What this means, in reality, is replicating the consumer home digital shopping experience to the high street.  This includes allowing onsite shoppers to authenticate a payment through facial recognition, touchless fingerprint, iris, or voice technology. Indeed, for many consumers it’s the only way forward, with over, ‘73% of the respondents wanting to use biometrics for payment authentication’ according to a VISA study done in Europe. This research predates the pandemic, so suggestions are it will now be a lot higher. Arana Security Sales Director, Ali Nasser, said “Post Covid 19, consumers and employees will be asking brands, \’what adjustments have you done to make this environment safe for me to be in?\’ The integration of contactless technology, like our Biometric Solution ‘Biowave’, which offers touchless multiple access authentication, offers reassurance to people who want a quick and efficient process, but who don’t want to touch surfaces that others have”. But it is not only for payments, savvy retail operators are also maximising on the technology by using facial technology to personal greet premium customers as they walk through the door. Or integrating voice technology in the changing rooms, so customers can pay for their items or order alternative sizes and styles. Similarly, gone are the days when people have to or feel comfortable queuing to gain access or pay to get into venues or hotel rooms. Technology like Biowave, enables a frictionless personalised experience for customers as they move through different environments and multiple venues, such shopping areas, hotels, stadiums or airports. By automating systems, consumers can be seamlessly processed, and their customer experience enhanced. Restaurants and food courts too are utilising biometric applications to improve customer experiences. The challenges of COVID have forced the industry to make changes to how people ordered and paid for their food. With point-of-sale terminals and self-service kiosks being common solutions to minimise contact. This is set to become the new norm. A recent report forecast that the appeal for self-service kiosks will grow by 11 per cent over the next decade. In particular voice-controlled systems. Overall biometric industry growth is expected across the board. A recent global forecast by the Biometric Systems Market Research, claimed the biometric system market is expected to grow by $33 billion by 2023. Would this growth have happened if Covid had not? It is fair to say that as the popularity and acceptance of biometrics grew, so would demand. But the speed of growth is the one aspect that all agree has been accelerated by the pandemic. Consumers need to feel safe in retail environments like never before. They expect retailers to implement touchless digital experiences that supports their expectations. Fortunately, companies like Arana Security continue to innovate and push boundaries with biometric research. Which means the technology can keep up with consumer demands in our new post Covid world.

Since 1952 when voice recognition was first demonstrated technology has come on leaps and bounds. The use of AI technology has largely enhanced the exponential growth of voice recognition technology. AI is a term used to describe a series of related technologies that use large volumes of data to make predictions. In this case, analysing the text that has been captured by voice recognition to predict the meaning and find a suitable response. With a machines ability to effectively ‘learn’ over time they will become better at predicting what is being said and it’s meaning. Conversation AI and customer service While conversational AI still has its technical difficulties, it has already started to change customer service experience and will keep improving as the technology develops. Here are some examples of how this technology will benefit; AI assistants can more efficiently and accurately detect errors than humans, Being available at any time of day to assist customers. Driving sales through personalisation. Personalised content can be generated for each customer especially in the case of online shopping which will bring benefit for the consumer as much as the business. It can be applied to any industry. Allowing customers to log on using voice recognition instead of a password. Voice recognition and Payment/Identification Cards Using voice recognition has already found its place as a biometric authentication as a voiceprint. Research has shown that voice recognition is favoured as a form of identification as it’s a non-contact and non-intrusive and easy to do. Voiceprint is already used by organisations such as banks to authenticate customers. Usually, it’s used in addition to existing security to create a multi-biometric identification process. Although there is a great promise, there are still potential challenges to Voice recognition. The potential high error rate, due to variability in a person’s voice due to illness, mood changes, poor quality voice samples due to the presences of background noise are some issues yet to be overcome. Transcription with AI assistant As AI technology improves and can better understand human language, then the software that can provide the transcription services will improve. This brings the benefit for business owners with a higher level of automation, comes greater efficiency, reduced costs and more reliability. There are already several apps and Softwares available that can transcribe with a high level of accuracy. The induction of AI technology means that the software can ‘learn’ better the nuances and accents of a person so over time increase its accuracy of the transcription. E-learning and AI Voice recognition and AI will find its applications in E-learning as a tool to enhance the experience for students. Role-play with an AI can help trainees to prepare for real-life situations in sales or customer services. Currently, product training is often supplied through pre-recorded videos or reading material, as it would not be a cost-effective approach to train each individual in person, but by using AI tools, the training can be supplied with a much more interactive approach and so better preparing the employee. Customising how information is delivered to learners may enable e-learning to become more accessible to people who prefer non-traditional learning styles. AI will allow for that level of customisation to be delivered on a greater level, with greater efficiency and speed. Voice control of electronics Using voice control with electronics is a fast-growing trend among consumers. The promise of convenience is appealing to many. Hands-free management of electronic devices such as loudspeakers, thermostat and light fixtures is drawing consumers to invest in voice control platforms such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Google Assistant. While the technology is still not wholly assimilated with normal speech patterns and relies on specifically worded voice commands, technology is continuously improving and advancing. It’s expected that by 2024 there will be 8.4 billion voice assistant devices in the world, which is more than there are people. Such growth in ownership of such devices will be aided by the investment into the development of technologies that will enhance both the functionality and the reliability of voice recognition and AI both in homes and industry.