Biometrics vs Passwords
Pros of Biometrics:
- Convenience: No need to remember passwords.
- Security: Generally harder to forge someone's fingerprint or iris than to guess a password.
- Cons of Biometrics
1) Errors: Fingerprint scanners or facial recognition might not work perfectly every time.
2) Workarounds: Someone with access to your phone (which might hold your fingerprint) could still potentially gain access.
- Biometrics with Passwords (Multi-Factor Authentication)
• The Ideal Combination: Biometrics are often combined with passwords or other factors (like a code from your phone) in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
• Stronger Defence: MFA makes it much harder for unauthorized access, even if a password is compromised.
- Security Considerations
• Data Storage: How securely is your biometric data stored? Breaches can expose this sensitive information.
• Liveness Detection: Some systems can be fooled by pictures or videos. Liveness detection helps ensure a real person is presenting the biometric data.
Biometrics and passwords are increasingly used together. This two-factor authentication provides a stronger security layer. Even if a hacker steals your password, they would still need to bypass the biometric scan to gain access.
Remember, biometrics isn't a foolproof solution, but it offers a convenient and secure way to enhance password security, especially when combined with strong password practices.