Identity and Acess Management

The Need for Biometric Authentication

In an increasingly digital world with more and more devices and platforms connected to each other, protecting confidential information is a difficult task. Passwords and tokens once considered sufficient to provide data security are just not enough to protect against today’s sophisticated attacks.

Biometrics, or the use of authentication devices that look at the unique traits and characteristics of physical attributes of an individual, is ready for prime time. Once considered expensive technology used to secure bank vaults or unlock doors in Sci-Fi films, biometrics such as fingerprint readers, iris scans, or palm vein readers are here today. They work…work well…are affordable…and available in many product offerings.

Passwords are Not Enough

We know this by now. Passwords are just no longer sufficient to provide an acceptable and reliable level of security to protect critical business data,infrastructure and services. Hackers have become so sophisticated in their techniques that they are likely to find at least one weak account, and that is often enough to cause havoc. By relying on password-only security, your business is a target for data breaches and password hacks.

Two-factor Authentication

Passwords = Single factor. That is…something you know. Additional factors consist of something you have (a key, card, cell phone) or something that you are (your fingerprint). When combining an additional “factor” to your authentication, security gets exponentially stronger.

Two-factor authentication is much more secure than using passwords alone and provides a considerable amount of protection against both brute force attacks and poor password practices. There is a small price to pay for convenience (having you use something else) but this is where biometrics comes in. That is, providing this 2nd factor with minimal loss in convenience..