Previously, this could only be seen in spy films: the hero puts his finger on a special sensor - and the door opens. Today, such technologies have become a reality, because there is an opportunity to collect, store and use biometric personal data. What it is?
Biometrics
Watching science fiction films where the characters communicate with the “smart home” or give orders to the artificial intelligence of the spacecraft, viewers rarely think about the reverse side of this issue, for example, is this program listened to by everyone. It is very unlikely, for sure, she reacts only to the voice of the owner. And this is achieved using biometrics that really exist. So, what is this piece of fiction that has already become reality?
Biometrics is a system of recognition of people. It is based on their unique characteristics, so you can’t log in, so to speak, “under someone else’s login”, because it’s impossible to fake a password, and now it will become clear why.
What is related?
This type of data includes any information that can be measured, both behavioral or psychological, as well as physiological in nature. In other words, any human parameter that can be expressed in absolute values can be considered biometric data.
They have a number of certain properties, which makes them so valuable.
- They are unique. Each person’s DNA is individual, just like a fingerprint or an iris pattern. This means that no one else can use the "password" without permission and the knowledge of the owner.
- They are universal. Biometric personal data are various characteristics inherent in absolutely all people.
- They are unchanging. As it is impossible to “edit” fingerprints, it is impossible to change the tone of voice or DNA.
All these characteristics together make this type of information very useful if you think about the general collection and storage of data for various purposes. For example, criminals cannot escape justice. However, the creation of global databases is still very, very far.
Data types
To date, several types of biometric data have been successfully used: fingerprints, voice, retina or iris, as well as face and DNA recognition. However, the list of possible parameters is not limited to this. In the future, technologies will also be able to work with smell or, for example, gait, characteristic features of behavior, the process of signing documents, etc. Thus, the characteristics can be not only static, but also dynamic.
By the way, in the process of studying some physiological characteristics of a person, it became clear that, for example, the retina in this quality is not suitable, since the pattern of blood vessels can change, and also gives information about the state of health, which should not be. This indirectly gives impetus to the development of medicine as well.
History
The most common parameter used for quite some time is fingerprints. Fingerprint data has already become quite familiar, and the procedure for submitting it has long been mandatory not only for those who are suspected of crimes, but also for ordinary citizens, for example, when receiving certain documents.
The idea that the papillary pattern, that is, the lines at the fingertips, is unique to each person, was put forward in the 19th century by William Herschel. Despite the fact that the hypothesis put forward by him about the uniqueness of fingerprints did not receive a sufficient basis, fingerprinting is widely used in forensics. Perhaps it was she who laid the foundation for ideas about identification, the basis of which would be biometric data.
Collection
Now the most common is the procedure for fingerprinting in electronic or traditional form. In the first case, special sensors are used that take a high-quality digital picture, which is subsequently converted, and in the second - a special paint. For face recognition, specially made photographs are also used - for example, in Russia now they are used to place biometric data in a new generation passport for traveling abroad.
Storage and handling
If the collection of biometric data is not such a problem, then the creation and constant updating and maintenance of a single database, perhaps, is relevant. In addition, there is a need for legal regulation of access to information of this kind and the possibility of working with it, including transfer to third parties.
Obviously, such personal information needs serious protection. This means that databases, if all information will be centrally flocked to them, should be as safe as possible, and the human factor must be reduced to a minimum. That is, the processing of biometric personal data should generally occur in an automatic mode.
Nevertheless, this problem has not yet been resolved in Russia, despite the adoption of Law 152-FZ in 2006, which also includes such information, there are no clear instructions on the rules for their storage and transfer. In addition, there is no control over the process of working with this type of information, although some government agencies have long been collecting it. Thus, ordinary citizens can hardly be completely sure that the information about them is in good hands, and they can’t even verify it.
Where are used?
Since biometric data is unique for each person, it is very convenient to identify a person for one or another need on their basis.
In today's world, in practice, this is implemented in various access systems and personal documents. Today, the collection of certain information related to such data is carried out, for example, in some countries to obtain a passport or visas for foreign travel. In addition, a large number of modern phones, tablets, computers and other devices also have unlocking functions in response to, for example, fingerprint reading or face recognition. So biometric data protection has long been not only high technology in a science fiction film. Modern methods even make it possible to distinguish twins by one or several automatically evaluated parameters with a fairly high degree of accuracy.
In other words, human biometric data is a very strong password that cannot be changed, and with the further improvement of recognition technologies it will be absolutely impossible to gain unauthorized access to anything. True, the problem is that if there is a leak from the database, this will become a serious problem, because, as already mentioned, this "password" cannot be changed.
The mechanism of work is quite simple: if there is a reference sample in the device database, it is compared with the data obtained using the sensor, and if there are critical inconsistencies, the access request is rejected, and if not, it is accepted. Naturally, there is a possibility of a false response or failure, but this depends on the quality of the standard and the correct settings and sufficient sensitivity of the sensor. Of course, the combination of several recognition methods significantly increases the overall accuracy of identification.
Pros and cons
As in any other matter, when it comes to personal information, and especially biometric data, people are divided into two camps: supporters and opponents.
Those who advocate the speedy implementation of universal identification by biometric parameters argue their position by saying that this will make society safer and reduce crime. Finding a missing person will not be difficult, because any security system will determine his presence.
On the other hand, critics believe that, firstly, even a small leak of this type of data can be critical, and secondly, there are no prerequisites for creating a legislative framework that could resolve many issues in this area. Finally, it seems to some that this will create an opportunity for governments to intervene in the privacy of their citizens, which is unacceptable.
Prospects
One way or another, technologies based on this type of information continue to develop, and this process is constrained only by their rather high cost. Probably, in the foreseeable future, the delivery of biometric data will be mandatory for all people without exception, and extensive databases will be created. Information on several of its parameters will be attached to the personality of each person. This will make it possible to forever abandon paper identification documents, and also will forget about such a thing as keys and locks in the usual sense.
By the way, usually, along with biometrics, mention is made of chipping. However, this measure has many more opponents, because with the help of microcircuits sewn under the skin of a person, it is possible not only to determine, but also to control and change its state. This prospect is so frightening to modern people that most dystopias speak of this measure as completely mundane. But this is a completely different story.