Detail study of biometric techniques

1.0 Rationale:
The report aims to provide a comprehensive examination of biometric techniques, exploring their
principles, applications, and advancements. By delving into various biometric modalities such as
fingerprint, iris, and facial recognition, the study seeks to elucidate their role in enhancing security
measures, authentication processes, and user identification across diverse domains

2.0 Aim/Benefits of the Micro-Project:

To study in detail about the biometric techniques.

Benefits:

1. Biometric techniques offer high security through unique physiological and behavioral traits.
2. Provide convenient access without the need for password or token.

3.0 Course Outcomes Addressed:

1. Apply user identification and authentication methods.

4.0 Literature Search:

Sr No Resources Author Contents

1. Network Information Shital M. Mate Various Biometric

Security Techniques

2. Link https://www.geeksforgeeks.o Introduction of

rg/introduction-of- Biometric
biometric_techniques// Techniques.

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5.0 Actual Methodology Followed:

1. Literature Review:
In an era characterized by escalating concerns over data security breaches and identity theft, the
need for robust and reliable authentication methods has become paramount. Biometric
techniques, leveraging unique biological characteristics for user identification and verification,
have emerged as a cornerstone of modern security systems. With the aim to delve into the
intricacies of biometric technologies, this report seeks to explore the diverse modalities,
applications, and implications of biometric authentication. Through an in-depth analysis, we
endeavor to unravel the underlying principles, assess the effectiveness, and evaluate the potential
challenges associated with the adoption of biometric techniques across various domains. This
exploration promises to shed light on the evolving landscape of biometrics and its pivotal role in
shaping the future of information security.
2. Implementation:
In this project, we studied about Biometric Techniques, its types, need, and advantages. We also
focused on how various Biometric Techniques work. The project includes detailed study about
biometric techniques and its functioning.

6.0 Actual Resourced used:

Sr.No Name of Resource/material Specifications

1 Computer system Computer System with

1) Storage of 512 GB SSD
2) RAM 16 GB

2 Operating System Window 10

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7.0 Outputs of the Micro-Project:

What is biometrics?

Biometrics is the measurement and statistical analysis of people's unique physical and behavioral
characteristics. The technology is mainly used for identification and access control or for identifying
individuals who are under surveillance. The basic premise of biometric authentication is that every
person can be accurately identified by intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. The term biometrics is
derived from the Greek words bio, meaning life, and metric, meaning to measure.

Need of biometric

1. Unique to the user:

A fingerprint consists of unique features such as ridges, valleys and minutiae points that are unique to an
individual. It is almost impossible to replicate a fingerprint and it never changes with time unless there is
an unusual occurrence.

2. Loss-proof:
Customers often mistype or forget their PINs or feel skeptical to use it, especially when they are making
payments. Fingerprint identification eliminates such instances as the user is only required to use their
fingerprint as their identity.

3. High security:
Security concerns are one of the most important reasons why biometric authentication has become the
need of the hour. With biometric authentication, you are able to eliminate payment fraud activities such
as card skimming, chip switching and shoulder surfing, etc.

4. Speed:
PIN authentication might take a few seconds or more if you use the wrong one whereas fingerprint
recognition is a seamless,near-instant process. This will save a lot of time for both the customers and
businesses involved.

5. Low maintenance:
Biometric-enabled payment cards are more cost-effective compared to the maintenance cost of PINs and
passwords. With the increasing demand for biometric credit and debit payment cards, fingerprint sensor
technology providers are already working on a convenient and cost-effective enrollment solution for
their clients.

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Types of biometric techniques:

PHYSIOLOGICAL BIOMETRICS
A physiological trait is a biological pattern found on or in the human body, such as a face, fingerprints,
iris pattern, DNA, hand geometry, etc.

1. Facial Recognition

Facial recognition is a way of identifying or confirming an individual’s identity using their face. Facial
recognition systems can be used to identify people in photos, videos, or in real-time.

Facial recognition is a category of biometric security. Other forms of biometric software include voice
recognition, fingerprint recognition, and eye retina or iris recognition. The technology is mostly used for
security and law enforcement, though there is increasing interest in other areas of use.

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How does facial recognition work?

Many people are familiar with face recognition technology through the FaceID used to unlock iPhones
(however, this is only one application of face recognition). Typically, facial recognition does not rely on
a massive database of photos to determine an individual’s identity — it simply identifies and recognizes
one person as the sole owner of the device, while limiting access to others.

Beyond unlocking phones, facial recognition works by matching the faces of people walking past special
cameras, to images of people on a watch list. The watch lists can contain pictures of anyone, including
people who are not suspected of any wrongdoing, and the images can come from anywhere — even from
our social media accounts. Facial technology systems can vary, but in general, they tend to operate as
follows:

Step 1: Face detection

The camera detects and locates the image of a face, either alone or in a crowd. The image may show the
person looking straight ahead or in profile.

Step 2: Face analysis

Next, an image of the face is captured and analyzed. Most facial recognition technology relies on 2D
rather than 3D images because it can more conveniently match a 2D image with public photos or those in
a database. The software reads the geometry of your face. Key factors include the distance between your
eyes, the depth of your eye sockets, the distance from forehead to chin, the shape of your cheekbones, and
the contour of the lips, ears, and chin. The aim is to identify the facial landmarks that are key to
distinguishing your face.

Step 3: Converting the image to data

The face capture process transforms analog information (a face) into a set of digital information (data)
based on the person's facial features. Your face's analysis is essentially turned into a mathematical formula.
The numerical code is called a faceprint. In the same way that thumbprints are unique, each person has
their own faceprint.

Step 4: Finding a match

Your faceprint is then compared against a database of other known faces. For example, the FBI has access
to up to 650 million photos, drawn from various state databases. On Facebook, any photo tagged with a
person’s name becomes a part of Facebook's database, which may also be used for facial recognition. If
your faceprint matches an image in a facial recognition database, then a determination is made.

Of all the biometric measurements, facial recognition is considered the most natural. Intuitively, this
makes sense, since we typically recognize ourselves and others by looking at faces, rather than
thumbprints and irises. It is estimated that over half of the world's population is touched by facial
recognition technology regularly.

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2. Fingerprint Recognition
Fingerprints, while totally unique, can be at risk of being copied. A similar but more advanced technique
looks instead at the veins underneath the fingerprint, which are virtually impossible to copy.

How does a fingerprint reader work?

Fingerprint scanning is a form of physiological biometrics that analyzes your physical characteristics in
order to authenticate your identity. Basically, it recognizes that your fingerprint belongs to you and no
one else.

Everyone has unique, identifying marks on their fingers which are used to create a fingerprint. These
cannot be changed or removed, and so are a preferred indicator of identity for security procedures.

You may have come across a fingerprint reader before. They are often used in border control, at the police
station (for fingerprint identification), on the latest smartphone handsets and in many security companies.
Fingerprint readers can protect against fraud and identity theft and are a more reliable authenticator of
identity than the traditional pin and password method.

So, how do they work?

Fingerprint readers can rely on different technologies to capture the unique features in your prints. The
most common fingerprint reader will fall under optical scanners, which use lenses to reflect lights onto
complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors which then convert light into electronic
signals.

Other readers capture prints using capacitive sensors. Fingerprint ridges and valleys create different
electric currents at different areas of the finger. Each fingerprint reader uses the electric current to create
a picture of your print.
Each of your finger’s ridges and valleys act as insulators, restricting the flow of current produced by the
reader. As this happens, the scanner can use this data to generate a clear picture of the individuality of
your finger, or a ‘Biometric Identifier’.
See the image below for a simple example of how this works:

Once these details are stored, each time your fingerprint is scanned, it can authenticate your identity.
Matching your print to you. To build a more complete and accurate image of your fingerprints, the
scanner often requests to take multiple prints from the same finger.

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In addition to physiological biometrics, there are also behavioral biometrics which instead look at your
own personal movements and gestures.

While biometric security is a valuable tool in authenticating identity, it alone is not enough for strong
security. Three factor authentication, which involves something you know (password), something you
are (biometric) and something you have (token) is the best way to prevent unauthorized access.

3. Hand Geometry Recognition

Hand geometry is a biometric that identifies users from the shape of their hands. Hand geometry readers
measure a user's palm and fingers along many dimensions including length, width, deviation, and angle
and compare those measurements to measurements stored in a file.

How does it work?

A hand geometry reader is a device that can capture and process human hand geometry and produce a
digital biometric template that can be used to establish identity and verify it later. Hand geometry readers
are commonly used for employee attendance and physical access applications.

They provide securer and more efficient employee identification than traditional time cards that can be
vulnerable to time card fraud and timesheet manipulation.

From outside, a typical hand geometry reader looks like what is pictured below. It is provided with an
LCD display and keypad to assist with the enrollment and verification processes. For identity verification,
the user has to enter his/her personal identification number or PIN first.

The recognition system fetches the stored biometric record associated with the entered PIN and prepares
the system to match it with the hand scan that follows. User has to put his/her hand on the platen to have
it scanned. Scanning and verification process is quick and takes less than a second on modern hand
recognition systems.

Most systems have peg guided hand placement to make sure that the hand is placed correctly on the platen.
Image of the hand is captured using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera, which is located just above
the platen.
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Hand geometry readers may also make use of Infrared light and reflectors for capturing the image of the
hand. Unlike palm print scanners, which scan image of the hand to capture ridge detail of the subject’s
palm, hand geometry scanners capture hand image to measure length of fingers, their thickness, width,
curvature and relative location of other features, which are considered to be unique together for an
individual.

The recognition system generates a silhouette image out of captured raw image to weed out any
unnecessary details. Both, the top and the side image of hand are generated to perform geometry
measurement. At least 90 measurements are taken and 31,000 points of the generated silhouette image are
analysed.

These calculations and measurements are performed by the underlying hand geometry recognition
algorithm and the biometric template of the subject is generated.

Unlike other biometric recognition systems, the memory size of the template generated by hand geometry
recognition systems is very small and occupies only 9 bytes. This makes hand geometry recognition
systems very light on storage.

The enrollment process takes multiple hand scan (typically three sequential scans) of the subject’s hand
and the system averages the resulting data to generate a biometric template of the user.

This template is stored in the system memory and associated with a unique personal identification number
(PIN).

This PIN is shared with the user who can enter it at the time of verification for physical access or
time/attendance.

4. Retinal and Iris Recognition

Retinal Recognition
Retinal recognition is the process of scanning a retina and cross-referencing the imaging with a data set
of unique retinal features. It is one of the most unique biometric identification techniques available.
Proper retina imaging can contain up to 400 unique data points for examination.
This is in comparison to only about forty unique data points for a fingerprint.

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Retinal recognition technology was first conceived in the mid-1970s, but the first retina recognition
biometric device wasn’t released until the early 1980s. Even before the device came to market, two famous
studies confirmed the uniqueness of the blood vessel pattern found in the retina.

Iris Recognition
The iris (plural: irides or irises) is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the
diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. “Eye color” is the color
of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown.

In some cases it can be hazel (a combination of light brown, green and gold), grey, violet, or even pink.
In response to the amount of light entering the eye, muscles attached to the iris expand or contract the
aperture at the center of the iris, known as the pupil. The larger the pupil, the more light can enter.

Iris recognition is an automated method of biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern-
recognition techniques on video images of the irides of an individual’s eyes, whose complex random
patterns are unique and can be seen from some distance.

Unlike retina scanning, and iris scan uses camera technology with subtle infrared illumination to acquire
images of the detail-rich, intricate structures of the iris. Digital templates encoded from these iris scan
patterns by mathematical and statistical algorithms allow unambiguous positive identification of an
individual.

Databases of enrolled templates are searched by matcher engines at speeds measured in the millions of
templates per second per (single-core) CPU, and with infinitesimally small False Match rates. Hundreds
of millions of persons in countries around the world have been enrolled in iris recognition systems, for
convenience purposes such as passport-free automated border-crossings, and some national ID systems
based on this technology are being deployed.

A key advantage of iris recognition, besides its speed of matching and its extreme resistance to False
Matches, is the stability of the iris as an internal, protected, yet externally visible organ of the eye.

BEHAVIORAL BIOMETRICS
Behavioral biometrics measures and uniquely distinguishes patterns in the behavior of device users.
Behavioral biometrics are habits and proclivities humans develop over time, given their interactions with
different devices.

1. Keystroke Recognition
Keystroke recognition has been defined by both industry and academics as the process of measuring and
assessing a typing rhythm on digital devices, including on: computer keyboards, mobile phones, and touch
screen panels.
A noted typing measurement, keystroke recognition, often called “keystroke dynamics”, refers to the
detailed timing information that describes exactly when each key was pressed on a digital device and when
it was released as a person types. Though biometrics tend to rely on physical traits like fingerprint and
face or behavioral characteristics, many consider keystroke dynamics a biometric.

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How keystroke recognition typically works:

Data Collection: To create a typing profile, the system collects data on how an individual types. This data
typically includes the time intervals between keystrokes, the duration of each keystroke, and other factors
such as the pressure applied to the keys.

Feature Extraction: From the collected data, the system extracts relevant features that can be used to
distinguish one user from another. These features may include average keystroke latency, variations in
typing speed, and patterns in typing rhythms.

Machine Learning or Pattern Matching: Once the features are extracted, machine learning algorithms
or pattern matching techniques are applied to analyze the data and create a unique profile for each user.
During this process, the system learns to recognize the individual typing patterns associated with each
user.

Verification or Identification: When a user attempts to authenticate themselves, the system compares
their typing pattern against the stored profiles. Depending on the application, the system may perform
either verification (confirming the identity of a known user) or identification (matching the user against a
database of profiles to determine their identity).

Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Keystroke recognition systems often incorporate mechanisms
for continuous learning and adaptation. This allows the system to adapt to changes in a user's typing
behavior over time, such as variations due to injury, fatigue, or changes in typing habits.

2. Signature Recognition

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Signature recognition biometrics, also known as dynamic signature verification, is a method used to
authenticate individuals based on their unique handwriting patterns when signing their name. It works by
capturing various dynamic features of a signature, such as stroke trajectory, pressure, velocity, and timing,
to create a unique biometric profile for each individual.

How Signature Recognition works:

Data Acquisition: The process starts with the capture of the user's signature. This can be done using a
stylus or pen-based device on a digitizing tablet, touchscreen, or specialized signature pad. As the user
signs their name, the device records various dynamic characteristics of the signature, including pen
pressure, stroke velocity, and the timing of each stroke.

Feature Extraction: Once the signature is captured, the system extracts relevant features that can be used
to distinguish one signature from another. These features may include the shape of the signature, the
direction and curvature of each stroke, the pressure applied during signing, and the timing of pen
movements.

Normalization: Before comparison, the system often normalizes the signature data to account for
variations in size, orientation, and position. Normalization helps ensure that signatures of different sizes
and styles can be accurately compared.

Template Creation: From the extracted features, the system creates a unique template or representation
of the signature. This template is typically stored in a secure database for later comparison and
authentication purposes.

Verification or Identification: When a user attempts to authenticate themselves, they are asked to sign
their name using the same device or system used for enrollment. The system captures the signature and
compares it against the stored template(s).

Verification: In verification mode, the system compares the captured signature against a single stored
template associated with the user's identity to determine if they are who they claim to be.

Identification: In identification mode, the system compares the captured signature against a database of
multiple templates to determine the user's identity.

Authentication Decision: Based on the comparison results, the system makes an authentication decision,
either accepting or rejecting the user's claimed identity.

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Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Some signature recognition systems incorporate mechanisms for
continuous learning and adaptation, allowing the system to adapt to changes in a user's signature over
time.

3. Voice Recognition
Voice recognition, also known as speech recognition or automatic speech recognition (ASR), is a
technology that allows computers to interpret and understand human speech.

It enables devices to recognize spoken commands, transcribe spoken words into text, and even generate
spoken responses.

How voice recognition works:

Audio Input: The process begins with the capture of audio input containing human speech. This input
can come from various sources, including microphones built into devices such as smartphones, computers,
smart speakers, or dedicated recording devices.

Preprocessing: The captured audio input undergoes preprocessing, which may involve filtering out
background noise, normalizing audio levels, and segmenting the speech into smaller units such as
phonemes, words, or phrases.

Feature Extraction: From the preprocessed audio, the system extracts relevant features that can help
distinguish between different sounds and phonetic patterns. Common features include frequency,
amplitude, duration, and spectral characteristics of speech sounds.

Acoustic Modeling: Acoustic modeling involves creating statistical models that map acoustic features
extracted from the speech signal to phonetic units or linguistic units such as phonemes, words, or subword
units. These models help the system understand the relationship between acoustic patterns and spoken
language.

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Language Modeling: Language modeling involves creating statistical models of language structure and
grammar. These models help the system understand the likelihood of word sequences and predict the most
probable words or phrases given the context of the speech input.

Speech Recognition: Using the acoustic and language models, the system performs speech recognition
by analyzing the audio input and matching it against a set of predefined vocabulary or language models.
The system generates a hypothesis of the most likely sequence of words or phrases that correspond to the
input speech.

Postprocessing: After recognizing the speech, the system may perform postprocessing steps such as error
correction, language understanding, and semantic analysis to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the
recognized text.

Output: The final output of the voice recognition process is typically text transcription of the spoken
words or commands. In some applications, the system may also generate spoken responses or take actions
based on the recognized speech.

8.0 Skill Developed / Learning outcome of this Micro-Project :

1. Gaining insights into internal workings of biometric techniques.

2. Understanding how secure and beneficial biometric system is.

9.0 Application of this Micro-Project:

1. Able to understand the concept of Biometric Techniques.
2. Able to understand types of Biometric Techniques.
10. References:
1. Book- “Network Information Security”

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