Fingerprint Biometrics Impacts Access Mgmt Solutions

Accurate identification of an individual and their right to access buildings, amusement parks, computers, and networks is important to business and governments that need to protect profits, intellectual property (IP), privacy, and more. As a result, it’s not surprising that biometrics is considered an ideal solution that combines convenience, increased security, and lower costs for physical and logical access needs. Traditional security processes such as physical credentials or specialised knowledge can’t guarantee the identity of a person and can be frustrating for users and expensive for system operators.

In a new whitepaper by Frost & Sullivan, A Best Practices Guide to Fingerprint Biometrics, expert analysis of the challenges of identity and access management (IAM) is reviewed and fingerprint biometrics solutions to those challenges are explored. Security experts also provide strategic guidance to help business and government organisations avoid common implementation pitfalls to ensure a fingerprint biometric system meets business needs for enhanced security and a positive return on investment (ROI). Organisations are increasingly interested in biometric IAM solutions to protect IP, revenue, and privacy as the volume of sensitive digital assets continues to grow exponentially.
Traditional (non-biometric) IAM systems cannot determine personal identity and are forced to rely on PINs and passwords that are frequently stolen and used by unauthorised individuals. In addition, smart cards or employee badges have the caveat of publishing a portion of the identity, making strong passwords even more important in addition to adding cost to system administration.

Fingerprint biometrics improves the IAM value proposition by allowing a person’s actual identity, which cannot be challenged the way a user ID/password can, to become part of the identity management equation. Using a fingerprint also reduces costs involved in creating, replacing and managing physical credentials.

“The ideal IAM system would be one offering both security and convenience,” says Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Chris Rodriguez. “A properly designed and implemented fingerprint biometric system is a practical way to accomplish both objectives.”