Authentication is one of the most annoying steps required in order to log in to an online service or call center system. “Can’t log in?”, “Forgot your password”?, “Not sure what your login is?”, “The new password must be at least 8 characters and contain at least 1 special character”. Do you know these messages inside out? Recent technological advancements help us authenticate faster and not to drawn in the see of passwords, PINs and security questions. With biometry it’s not only more convenient but also safer and more secure. The new whitepaper by Comarch ICT discusses this issues.
What is biometrics?
There are three basic authentication methods. Typically, you’re asked to tell something you know (e.g. a password or a private key). Sometimes a company asks you to present something you have, e.g. an ID, membership card, or a hardware token. Passwords and PIN codes continue to be the most popular user identification solutions. Tokens are slightly less popular but they are also widespread. These methods fail when you forget a piece of information, or simply don’t have an ID or token with you. There’s only one thing that you cannot forget – it’s your body. Biometric methods are based on “what you are”, and many security specialists consider them to be much better and more comfortable than traditional authentication methods.
Why Biometrics?
The first thing is security. Each year, hundreds of millions of Euros are obtained by deceit by means of stolen personal data such as passwords and PINs. In the dark web you can buy this kind of information. Below I listed the most common data threats. This table also shows that certain methods of authentication are prone for such attacks.
Higher level of security means that organizations can reduce potential losses and the risk of their reputation being affected. Biometric methods are also cost effective. In a long run, voice authentication is much cheaper than systems used today. The extra security of biometric passwords helps us verify user’s identity and exclude accounts being accessed by unauthorized individuals. Moreover, an average verification takes 20 seconds less than classical methods. It cuts down on callers’ frustration and is thus likely to boost their loyalty. Better customer service also makes winning new customers much easier. Another advantage of biometric methods is ease of use. When traditional passwords should be long and complex (e.g. include lower- and upper-case letters, digits as well as special characters). Furthermore, biometrics is language-independent. It is about how you say something rather than what you say. It means that the system may be adjusted to the needs of multiple international branches. The language that you use ceases to be relevant.
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