Why Biometric Security is Dangerous

Biometric security has been touted as the ultimate security in digital technology. Today we have iPhones with Touch ID that make it really easy to login, buy e-books or download apps. Personally, I love the Touch ID as a low-security barrier to replace that 4-digit entry code. Unfortunately, bio security will never put my mind at total ease, because it's biggest advantage over other authentication protocols is also it's biggest flaw.

One of the greatest advantages of bio security is the fact that you possess a unique genetic makeup that creates distinct thumbprints, retinal patterns and other identifiers. Theoretically this means no more remembering long passwords with some combination of capital letters, special characters and numbers. But what happens when your biometric ID is stolen?

Unlike passwords that can be changed, your body will always be the same. If it seems ridiculous that someone would steal your finger or your eyes, you're right. This isn't mission impossible either, where they use unique contact lenses. It's important to remember that your biometric information has to be converted to digital information at some point. Someone doesn't have to have your eyes to copy the digital code your eyes produce and send that signal to a computer system.

Of course security companies are developing systems to prevent this 'spoofing', some examples include multi-layered biometric and motion scanning where the person's interaction with the authentication device is as relevant as the fingerprint or retina, but just remember, it all comes down to 1's and 0's.