Can #blockchain give the required #data #protection to #biometrics ?

Biometrics is creating a craze in almost every fintech application. The other technology that is already entwined with biometrics is blockchain. The success of such a technological marriage depends on the reliability of both of the technologies. Primarily, it relies on how well spoofing of biometrics can be addressed. The final challenge rests on blockchain and its variants for device independent and error free processing.

How biometrics would address spoofing issues ?

The biometric spoofing is the major problem in adapting biometrics for fintech applications. Most of the biometric modalities are prone to spoofing attacks. Liveness detection of facial expression and fingerprints are often tried to avoid spoofing problems but with very limited success. Only a few modalities such as finger vein ID shows some promise. Since finger vein ID is the human vein patterns underneath the skin, it can't be easily hacked or copied.

Whether the biometric recognition system is empowered with a blockchain technique or not, the spoofing problems remain the same. So an adequately secure anti spoofing mechanism is must for any consumer application of biometrics. But, one has to check whether blockchain can improve the traditional biometric recognition systems or not.

What advantages may a decentralized biometrics really offer?

It is claimed that blockchain can offer advantages in biometrics by empowering it to be stored in multiple decentralized and distributed ledgers. Can this advantage surmount the present limitations? Do the special features of blockchain add new problems in an otherwise simple passwords and PIN based multi layer authentication system?

Can digital identity management improve by using blockchain?

According to the theory, the blockchain algorithm may revolutionize the digital identity management. The digital information of the humans may be broken into pieces and distributed over several blocks stored in different computer servers. To reconstruct the complete identity, all the distributed partial identity information are needed.

Hyperledger project of the Linux Foundation shows promise for biometrics

The open source Hyperledger project of the Linux Foundation is an interesting modification of blockchain algorithm for applications for business, which has the support of IBM and several other tech corporations.

Hyperledger can be public or open as original blockchain claims, it can also be private or public proof, i.e., hyperledger can be private and permission-ed. This is suitable to be adapted for digital identity management and biometric identity authentication. It attracted several business players including United Biometrics, HyPR Securities to adopt hyperledger to provide decentralized biometrics for real world applications.

But problems remain in decentralized biometrics ..

The most user friendly aspect of password and PIN based centralized authentication system is simple. If the password is lost or stolen, the users have the option of resetting or reviving the account with helps from the central processing center.

In a decentralized biometrics system, there is no possibility of reviving the account if the private key is lost. If the user somehow loses the private key, the account is lost for ever.

What could be the ultimate solution if the private encryption key is lost?

This is a tricky situation that can often happen in real life. A lost private key means the user loses all data, in case of bitcoin the user loses all the digital money or cryptocurrency! In case of bitcoin, the distributed ledger community haven't given any sure solution for reviving the data or bitcoin.

Multi-biometrics may recover the lost private encryption key

In case of digital identity management problems, the researchers have suggested that the solution could be to physically visit a secure facility where a multitude of biometrics tests may help to reclaim the private key. Now, this is just under discussion between the many regulatory authorities around the world.

The blockchain’s private key-loss conundrum is still unsolved!

People are betting on blockchain and its variations.  So, how can blockchain solve the problems of biometrics? Can any blockchain will be able to improve biometrics at the same degree? What do you think? Supposing your bank offers the decentralized biometrics as an authentication tool for its users, what would you do? Would you accept "blockchain-ed" biometrics as your authentication method? If you lose the private key, then you would lose the entire funds in your account. Are you ready to do that?

Photo: Google search with "biometrics pics"

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

Here are some other posts I authored:

• Is Blockchain Siphoning off Resources of the World?
  
• Biometric Security, iPhone X and the Privacy Concern
  
• Why are Data so Vulnerable?
  
• Glasses-Free 3D Displays Empower Smartphones, TVs, Tablets and Digital Signage
• Memory-Driven Computing is the Next Big Thing
• Unix-like Operating Systems are Safer to Malware and Virus Attacks
• Why Google and Microsoft Run after Glass and Lens?
• Best Solution to Software Virus
• Need 15 Tips to Eat a Biscuit?

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Text Copyright 2018 Debesh Choudhury