RiskUKOctober2017

Access Control: Developments in Biometric Security
Thanks – in no small part – to the magic
conjured up by film producers, directors
and computer graphics specialists resident
in the Hollywood hills, biometrics have become
something of a go-to metaphor for what might
best be described as ‘bleeding edge, bulletproof
security’. It’s easy to see why, too, as
high-tech equipment like iris scanners, for
example, makes for a gripping spectacle within
cinema theatres and on our television screens.
Of late, biometrics based on brain
(electroencephalogram) and heart
(electrocardiogram) signals have emerged. A
research group at the University of Kent led by
Ramaswamy Palaniappan has shown that
people have certain distinct brain and heart
patterns specific to each individual.
This new generation of biometric systems is
called the ‘biometrics of intent’ and aims to
scan intent. The technology will analyse
physiological features such as eye movement,
body temperature and breathing, etc and then
predict dangerous behaviour or hostile intent
before it materialises into physical action.
A recent and detailed report produced by
MarketsandMarkets.com predicts a 17% annual
growth in the gross biometric recognition
systems global market between 2105 and 2022,
from a figure of $10.74 billion to $32.73 billion.
Of this marked increase, fingerprint recognition
technology holds the largest single factor
authentication segment and is predicted to
continue to occupy that pole position for the
foreseeable future.
In light of recent appalling terrorist attacks
across the world, the need for security has
never been greater and, while travel and
immigration will no doubt continue to hold the
largest share of the biometric systems market
(with the USA still the largest customer), the
somewhat less dramatic use of fingerprint
readers across a wide range of sectors is
actually the main driver of growth.
The primary reason for this is that fingerprint
recognition systems are proving to be far more
secure and cost-effective than the traditional
alternatives of numeric key pads or magnetic
swipe cards, rapidly paying for themselves with
a far lower lifetime cost as they require no
additional consumables (such as additional
cards). Nor do they have to be reprogrammed –
as is the case for numeric keypads – should
security be breached at some point.
Probably of more importance to practising
end users is the fact that biometric recognition
systems can help to provide an infallible access
control system that may be used for a variety of
additional purposes once successfully
integrated with suitable software.
In Search of Recognition
The last five years have seen biometrics extricated from the
‘Mission Impossible’ scenario espoused by Hollywood and
dropped squarely into the lives of everyday consumers,
whereupon they’re now fast assuming a central role in the
sphere of digital identity management. Here, Shaun Oakes
explains how biometric recognition devices can offer very real
benefits for today’s practising security and risk managers
A typical example may be a UK Government
Data Centre where various levels of access are
required. To even be considered for such a
contract, of course, the access control system
would have to be Centre for the Protection of
National Infrastructure-approved, while the
readers themselves would have to integrate
seamlessly and provide data for access systems
controlling access points such as turnstiles,
barriers, doors or even computer terminals.
The resultant data can be used not only for
access control and reporting, but also for
personnel records such as payroll. Indeed, this
is particularly useful in the construction and
industrial sectors when a large site will have a
number of sub-contractors in situ in addition to
directly employed personnel. Here, the access
system becomes an effective and vital front end
resource for workforce management.
Accurate and reliable
A biometric lead system will serve to provide
highly accurate and reliable information which
can, with the right software, administer not
only access control, but also time and
Shaun Oakes:
Managing Director of ievo
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www.risk-uk.com