[HT Bruce Schneier] Here’s an excellent article on the use of
biometrics in security system. Here are some highlights.
Authentication of a person is usually based on one of three
things: something the person knows, such as a password;
something physical the person possesses, like an actual key or
token; or something about the person’s appearance or behaviour.
Biometric authentication relies on the third approach. Its
advantage is that, unlike a password or a token, it can work
without active input from the user. That makes it both
convenient and efficient: there is nothing to carry, forget or
lose. The downside is that biometric screening can also work
without the user’s co-operation or even knowledge. Covert
identification may be a boon when screening for terrorists or
criminals, but it raises serious concerns for innocent
individuals. Biometric identification can even invite violence.
A motorist in Germany had a finger chopped off by thieves
seeking to steal his exotic car, which used a fingerprint reader
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