Biometrics refers to the measurement of unique human characteristics such as fingerprints and retinas. The most commonly occurring example is a fingerprint scanner used to scan fingerprints.
Biometric scanners are used in conjunction with software that uses complex algorithms to record and recognize unique human characteristics such as fingerprints. Fingerprint scanners like the one pictured below are commonly used for identification purposes (ID documents & passports).
Biometric authentication is used in computer science as a form of identification for access control.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometrics
It is primarily used for anything that requires a specific user to be physically present, for example:
- Access Control
- Time & Attendance
A common theory question focuses on the advantages of biometric security over other forms of security, such as a password or PIN.
| Biometric | Password/Pin |
|---|---|
| Cannot be shared | Can be shared |
| Cannot be written down | Can be written down |
| The user must be present | The user does not need to be present |
| Cannot be guessed or hacked | Can be guessed and hacked |
| Cannot be obtained by a keylogger (spyware) | Can be obtained by a keylogger (spyware) |