The Rise of Biometric Technology: Balancing Security and Privacy

What once seemed like futuristic technology from spy thrillers – fingerprint mapping, facial recognition, retina scans – is now a real part of our everyday lives, also known as biometric technology. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, biometric authentication has become a prominent solution for enhancing security across various sectors like banking, healthcare, and law enforcement. Valued at $34.27 billion USD, it is obvious that biometric tech is a rising solution to identification and authentication. The adoption of this tech promises not only to streamline user experiences and fraud prevention but also increase the convenience of security, by reducing the reliance on traditional forms of authentication like passwords. However, with the rise of biometrics comes the critical problem of balancing the benefits without compromising individual privacy. This article will explore the implications of the widespread use of biometric technology.

How it Works

In order to breakdown the benefits and risks of biometric technology, we must first understand how they work. Biometrics refers to unique biological traits, such as fingerprints, voices, retinas, and facial features, and integrating this into authentication systems means storing this information in order to verify a user’s identity. In steps, it can be simply broken down as: 

• Capture: A device captures biometric data, whether an image of a face, a fingerprint, retina scan, voice 

• Feature Extraction: The device identifies unique patterns or features from the captured data, such as fingerprint ridges or facial structure points 

• Matching: The device compares the extracted features with a stored reference model to determine if they match the authenticated identity

Essentially, the device stores a reference model (your face) and asks itself “Are you indeed, X?”. There are various forms of biometric authentication, all using similar technology: facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, retina scans, even gait recognition–looking at walking patterns. The most common association of biometric ID are smart phones. Individuals rarely opt for the traditional password, rather preferring the convenience of face recognition or fingerprint scans – 58% of Americans have stated they would replace passwords with biometrics. However, biometrics are more widespread than individual use, securing government, healthcare, airports and bank settings. In 2022, the airport biometric technology market generated $390 million, emphasizing how integral biometrics has become in various sectors, like air travel.

A Brief History of Biometric Authentication

Biometric authentication may seem cutting-edge, but it actually traces back to the 19th century. The earliest documented use of biometrics for identification was in Paris in the 1800s, where police officer Alphonse Bertillon pioneered a system of measuring physical traits to identify criminals. This was soon followed by fingerprinting in the 1880s, which emerged as a trusted way to confirm identity and even served as a unique "signature" on legal documents. Edward Henry later refined this into the Henry Classification System, setting the standard for fingerprint identification. Today, while we associate biometrics with smartphone unlocks and face recognition, its roots run deep, bridging centuries of innovation in personal identification.

The Dangerous Implications: A Case Study

In 2016, at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), millions of federal employees faced a chilling realization when hackers breached and stole the fingerprints of over 5.6 million individuals. The fingerprints were part of extensive personal data collected through background checks, a process meant to secure sensitive government roles. But unlike a password that can be reset, or a credit card that can be replaced, biometric data is permanent. It is a part of your identity, so a breach in this stored data is scary and irrevocable. For these employees, their reality became that their personal markers were now vulnerable to exploitation. With access to individuals’ fingerprints, the malicious hackers could potentially fabricate or misuse this data to gain unauthorized access to security systems, such as government buildings, devices, or even secure online platforms. It raised concerns over identity theft at an unprecedented level, as this type of biometric data breach isn’t easily fixed by changing a PIN or updating login credentials. Once a fingerprint is compromised, so too is the security of all systems that rely on it.

For the employees of the OPM, this breach wasn’t simply an invasion of privacy, but a loss of security in their own identities. With biometrics acting as a backbone for authentification and identification in digital spaces, the incident emphasized a dangerous flaw: when biometric data is compromised, the risks are uniquely permanent.

Security Challenges and Privacy

While biometric authentication promises enhanced security and convenience, it brings with it unique security challenges, namely data breaches and privacy risks, which threaten to undermine these benefits. Biometric data, by its very nature, is permanent and uniquely tied to an individual’s identity. This is a double-edged sword: while it enhances security, it also means that if compromised, it cannot simply be reset. For organizations that store biometric data, the stakes are high. The average total cost of a data breach is a whopping $4.88 million, highlighting the financial risk for biometric data storage. The irrevocable nature of biometric data intensifies the need for robust data protection, but it also raises concerns about whether current cybersecurity standards are enough to safeguard this information. As well, the introduction of privacy implications is imminent when it comes to data sharing and storage. Biometric information can create a lasting record of a person’s identity, leaving them vulnerable to tracking. This risk is realized when organizations choose to sell biometric information, sometimes without full transparency – such as notably, when TikTok has to pay $92 million to settle a lawsuit alleging a breach in its users’ biometric and private data. Public concerns over the potential for misuse have prompted certain regions to enact stricter privacy laws. The ethincal and legal questions surrounding data ownership remain complex and everchanging.

The Current Scope vs. New Developments

In the US, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act serves as a progressive example to regulate the collection, use, and storage of biometric data. The act came about following the bankrupcy of fingerprint-scanning payment company, Pay By Touch, where lawmakers were worried that the biometric data collected by the company would be sold in the wake of its failure. BIPA mandates that private entities must obtain informed consent before collecting biometric identifies and imposes strict guidelines on data retention and destruction. Surprisingly, at the federal level, the landscape remains fragmented with no comprehensive biometric privacy law. Looking ahead, there must be implemented measures to address the evolving challenges of biometric technology, including enhanced federal legislation, stricter data security requirements, and consent mechanisms. These suggestions are not comprehensive by any means in addressing the impending concerns of biometric ID, but act as a starting point for addressing legal and privacy implications that come with this technology.

Conclusion

From unlocking our phones to boarding flights, biometric technology has seamlessly integrated into our daily routines, offering unparalleled convenience and security. However, this integration brings forth significant challenges in reliability, security, and privacy. As the technology continues to evolve, it is imperative for stakeholders—including developers, policymakers, and users—to address these concerns proactively. By implementing robust legal frameworks, enhancing data protection measures, and fostering public awareness, we can harness the benefits of biometric authentication while safeguarding individual rights and privacy.