Is biometrics really better than passwords? The answer is an overwhelming yes. The advantages that biometrics offer far outweigh those of passwords.
Biometrics refers to any unique imprint you can produce. Through this imprint, which no one can replicate, you are the only one who holds your data. Fingerprints, eye scans, facial recognition, handprints, and voice recognition are the most common biometrics used for security nowadays.
Biometrics is usually applied in multi-factor authentication. You can see this in banks and websites that use transactions or logins.
What makes biometrics better than passwords? Here are four reasons why biometrics is better than passwords.
1. Biometrics is immune to phishing attacks and impersonation or identity theft
Phishing attacks come to your email and trick you into clicking a legitimate-looking website that will request your password. Hackers set up this elaborate trick to gather users’ passwords and commit fraud under their victims' names. This form of identity theft is usually done on a credit card or bank account, but it may also be used for other malicious purposes.
Another frequent form of cyberattack is impersonation and identity theft. As in phishing, your credentials, including your password, will be used to steal your cyber identity and commit fraudulent activities under your name.
Switching to biometrics removes this problem immediately. Biometrics requires sensors from devices to be inputted, while passwords are inputted using alphanumeric codes. In other words, hackers cannot just copy your biometrics as they do your passwords. Hence, biometrics can keep you safe from phishing and impersonation, or identity theft.
For example, banks usually use two-factor authentication. On top of asking for your passwords, banks require fingerprints or facial recognition to verify your identity. Even a skilled hacker will not be able to copy your face or your fingerprint from a remote place.
2. Biometrics improves user experience
Fingerprint and facial recognition are the most used forms of biometrics because they are fast and convenient to verify.
The downside of passwords comes from the need to use your memory. Sometimes you can't help but forget one specific password among all the passwords you have created so far. Many organizations and accounts also advise changing passwords after some time has passed, thus requiring you to remember yet another password.
Over time, passwords also run the risk of a breach because they can get stolen. This breach becomes a bigger problem if your password for one account is the same for your other accounts.
Biometrics solves the memory and repetition problems because it uses your unique body print to provide security for your accounts. You do not have to remember your biometrics, and it stays at a high-security level over time because no one can copy your unique print.
3. Passwords are generally weaker because of human generation
Many people associate their passwords with details about themselves to help them remember and prevent forgetting in the long run. Although associating passwords with personal information increases the chances for retention, it lowers the security level for your accounts.
Passwords are meant to be long and complicated to provide a strong security level. They must consist of 8 to 16 characters with a mixture of letters, symbols, and numbers. This requirement makes passwords, especially strong ones, hard to remember.
And this is on top of the other security questions that you need to remember for more authentication measures. Similar security questions across accounts also increase security risk.
Because of these problems, you may want to make a password that would be easy to remember. But keep in mind that easy-to-remember passwords are also easy to hack.
Biometrics bypasses these problems because there is no need for retention for its verification. Various biometrics can also be used as an alternative verification method to replace security questions.
4. Passwords are outdated
Passwords have long been around, so hackers have continued to devise ways to work around them. On the other hand, biometrics become harder to hack as technology develops. It is harder to hack because better technology can detect more nuances between biometrics. In a sense, it makes every person’s biometrics even more unique.
For example, because more sensors can better recognize more detailed patterns, more fluctuations in voice patterns can be detected. This capability makes one's voice even more distinct from others and harder to replicate or hack.
The future for this technology will only get better. Today, more advanced measures are being applied to places that need higher security levels. Biometrics of the future will include opening the mouth, blinking the eye for verification, and other ways that are harder to decode.
Are there disadvantages to biometrics?
Given all the advantages, it must still be kept in mind that there are some disadvantages to using biometrics, just like with passwords.
Passwords can be changed when hacked, while biometrics cannot. This is why many establishments and security systems use both as a two-factor authentication process.
Another drawback to using biometrics is that it is better suited to newer technologies. If one wants to guard an old digital file stored in an older phone, they would have to purchase a new phone to enjoy the service. On the other hand, if the user continues to use their old device, they will be at high risk of a data breach due to passwords.
Conclusion
Overall, biometrics has overwhelming advantages over passwords.
Biometrics is almost immune to phishing, the most common way that hackers gain one’s password for identity theft. Since biometrics is not entered like passwords, replicating it from a remote place is nearly impossible.
Biometrics is much more convenient than passwords. It does not require you to remember so many passwords or change them so frequently to be safe. Its security level also remains high as time passes.
Lastly, biometrics is the way of the future. As technology improves, more sophisticated detection methods can make biometrics more unique to provide more robust levels of protection.
