Identity verification is increasingly important in order to protect identities and personal information. Identity verification can be an excellent defense against theft if used properly. However, many different methods of identity verification exist. Naturally, some of these methods are more effective than others.
One method of identity verification that is quite effective is biometrics. Biometrics is a method of using unique biological characteristics to identify and authenticate people. Biometrics offers a number of benefits when used for identity verification, which is why it is a fairly common form of identity verification. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of biometrics when used for identity verification.
Biometric Authentication Offers a Great User Experience
The internal process that verifies a user’s biometrics is quite complex and technical. However, biometrics offers a great user experience due to its convenience. Biometric authentication solutions are a quick and easy method of identity verification from the point of view of the user. As a result, users are likely to enjoy the convenience of this method of identity verification.
The user can simply unlock their account in a matter of moments by putting one of their fingers onto a scanner. This is more convenient than entering a lengthy password and it eliminates the problem of users forgetting their passwords. Users cannot forget their own biometrics.
Biometric Authentication Provides a High Level of Security
Another benefit that biometrics provides is that it gives users a high level of security when it comes to identity verification. Traditional authentication methods, such as PINs and passwords, can be compromised in the event that a data breach occurs. This means that unauthorized users can gain access to accounts by learning these PINs and passwords. This is not the case when it comes to biometrics.
Unauthorized users or hackers cannot unlock a user account by providing a user’s fingerprint unless they have it with them when trying to access the account. Biometrics also protects user accounts from access by non-humans like robots. A bot will struggle to gain unauthorized access to an account if it is protected by biometric security. Even the United States government utilizes biometric authentication these days.
Physical Biometrics Cannot Be Transferred Digitally
When using biometrics for identity verification, users have to present the biometric input upon authorization. Users cannot share or digitally transfer a physical biometric. A physical application is the only method of using the majority of biometric identity verification systems. This provides an extra layer of security for users.
Replicating Biometrics is Nearly Impossible
Another benefit of a biometrics identity verification system is that it is almost impossible to replicate physical biometrics using current technology. A few examples of these biometrics include fingerprints, face patterns, and iris scans. This is a significant difference when compared to traditional authentication methods. In the event that a hacker or unauthorized user finds out the account password or PIN, they can access the account if the account only uses traditional authentication methods.
However, unauthorized users, bots, or hackers cannot replicate biometrics so easily. The probability that one person’s fingerprint will be an exact match to another person’s fingerprint is one in 64 billion. This means that it is more likely for someone to win the lottery than to have the exact same fingerprint as another person. As a result, it is far more difficult for a hacker to gain access to a user’s account if the account uses biometric identity verification.
Biometric Authentication Allows for Quicker Access
User convenience is a significant part of many effective biometric authentication solutions. Thankfully, biometric authentication allows users to access their accounts more quickly than traditional authentication methods. It can take time to enter a secure password. If a user forgets their password, retrieving the password and gaining access to their account takes even more time. By contrast, a user can simply use a fingerprint scanner and gain access to their workstation or device quickly. Because of this, the greater security of biometric authentication does not come at the cost of the user’s convenience.
Excellent Accuracy Is Another Benefit of Biometric Authentication
It is also crucial for any identity verification system to be as accurate as possible. Greater accuracy means that there is a better chance that only authorized users can access accounts, workstations, or devices. Biometric authentication has the benefit of being extremely accurate. It is easy to see this when examining fingerprint scanners, for example.
Fingerprint scanners are one of the most complex methods used to provide biometric authentication. However, fingerprint scanners are also one of the most accurate methods of biometric authentication, since they offer nearly 100% accuracy during the authentication process. This accuracy is one of the reasons that fingerprint scanners are quite commonly used by companies that implement biometric authentication as part of their identity verification. Of course, as previously mentioned, fingerprint scanners are also quite easy to use.
