IBIA challenges NRC's state of biometrics report

convicted of major violent offenses like murder, rape, and the sexual abuse of children. “We can thank biometrics for the fact that these criminal aliens are no longer walking around freely in our society,” IBIA says.

Department of Defense (DoD) directive 8521.01E issued in 2008 states that “Biometrics is an important enabler that shall be fully integrated into the conduct of DoD activities to support the full range of military operations.” Biometric technology is being used more and more by the military to protect our bases from unauthorized entry by evil-doers carrying fake credentials - as was the case in the Ft. Dix terrorist attack plot in 2007. In addition, U.S. combat troops rely on biometric technology to help identify insurgents and combatants in places like Afghanistan where the enemy wears no uniform and blends into the population. Biometric technology is protecting our soldiers who are in harm’s way.

If one reads beyond the release and summary into the body of the report itself, the authors clearly recognize that “Biometric systems perform well in many existing applications” and that “biometric technologies appear poised for broader use.”

“There is no question that biometrics in the real world contributes significantly to effective identity systems,” said Walter Hamilton, IBIA’s chairman and president.

IBIA says it appreciates the work and dedication of the writing committee and those that provided input to the work effort including experts from the biometrics industry. “We agree with many of the findings in the body of the report and believe that the content provides useful guidance on designing and implementing effective identity systems based on biometric technology. We also support the report’s recommendations for further research into biometric technology and systems that will continue to advance the state of the art of biometric technology.”

IBIA says that it notes that the bulk of the committee’s fact-finding took place between 2004 and 2006; and there have been significant advancements in the technology, testing processes, and standards for biometrics since that time.

IBIA believes that the report would have been more useful as a reference document to guide future biometric implementation and research if the press release and summary had framed its analysis in a real world context. Since “biometric technologies are poised for broader use,” a more balanced approach, outlining the benefits and challenges of biometrics, would have been more constructive for the identification technology industry and for a society that increasingly relies on biometrics for its security.