Biometrics can offer security beyond access control

We know the pattern: People want more government services, but object to having their taxes raised to pay for these services. It is the same with corporate security: All employees would agree that their comany would benefit from additional security, but just watch how the number of complaints to the company’s help desk spike when management decide to add layers of security. GCN’s Edmund DeJesus writes that biometrics, if properly implemented, offers a win-win solution. Biometric security can at the same time enhance security and free users from the plague of passwords and PINs. Biometrics can be applied to more than just computers: It can be used to control access to buildings, rooms, networks, and other resources. Proponents of the technology say simply using any kind of biometrics sends a powerful psychological message that your agency takes security seriously, which can produce an important mood of vigilance.

Increased security may be the primary goal of biometrics, but it should not be the only one. “Agencies narrow themselves out of solutions,” said Vic Berger, a technologist at reseller CDW. By deciding too quickly what they want, these agencies and departments may be missing more complete solutions that offer additional benefits. For example, placing video cameras in a corridor may give you all the security you need, but facial-recognition and tracking software can add significant information, including insights into traffic patterns, behavior and resource usage. “Don’t jump into a request for proposals if a request for information is more appropriate,” Berger said.

Read more in DeJesus’s instructive discussion.