Discover the latest trends and news in biometrics, the pivotal tool in information security for unique human identification and access control.
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Background for this topic.
Biometrics authenticate users by analyzing unique physical or behavioral traits like fingerprints, facial features, iris patterns, or voice. These traits are converted into digital templates stored for comparison during access attempts, enabling identity verification without passwords or tokens. This method aims to strengthen authentication by relying on characteristics that are difficult to replicate exactly.
Security concerns include the risk of biometric template theft, which is problematic because biometric traits cannot be changed if compromised. Attackers may also use spoofing techniques, such as fake fingerprints or replayed biometric data, to bypass sensors. Effective defenses involve encrypting stored biometric data, implementing liveness detection to confirm traits come from a live person, and combining biometrics with additional authentication factors to reduce single points of failure. Proper protection of biometric data is essential to maintain both security and user privacy.
Weekly headline count for the current query.
Incident Involved an Unnamed Third-Party VendorNew York City's municipal healthcare system is notifying nearly 2 million patients of a hacking incident discovered earlier this year involving a third-party vendor. The breach compromised a long list of information, including biometric data such as fingerprints.
The Urgency of High-Assurance Identity Proofing Amid Growing Identity FraudRemote work has fueled a new crimewave built on stolen and synthetic identities. As deepfakes scale, high-assurance identity proofing - combining biometrics, liveness detection and verified IDs - becomes essential to verify users, prevent impersonation and protect enterprise access.
Easy-to-Use Deepfake Services for Criminals Rapidly Improving, Researchers WarnFinancial firms' fraud and risk teams must bolster know-your-customer checks in the face of increasingly effective and affordable deepfake technology and services that can generate synthetic identities, convincing face-swaps and defeat "live" biometric checks to bypass defenses, warn researchers.
Keyless's Biometric Tech to Improve Privacy, Account Recovery and User ExperiencePing Identity will acquire Keyless to expand passwordless authentication to frontline workers who lack access to smartphones. The deal gives Ping deepfake-resistant, privacy-first biometrics that don't store user templates on servers, easing identity verification and account recovery.
FIs Must Invest in AI-Fueled Behavioral Biometrics to Go Beyond Static CredentialsScammers are increasingly turning to account takeover fraud, as financial institutions ramp up their defenses. Instead of luring victims into making authorized transactions, cybercriminals are bypassing them altogether, hijacking their digital identities and draining accounts from within.
Also: Why AI Falls Short in Zero Trust, Gaps in Insider Threat PreventionIn this week's update, ISMG editors discussed how AI is reshaping behavioral biometrics, the impact of AI on zero trust strategies and whether organizations are finally getting a handle on insider threats - or just throwing more money at a nagging problem.
Machine Learning, Generative AI Bolster Continuous User AuthenticationFinancial institutions can use AI-fueled behavioral biometrics for real-time identity assurance. By continuously profiling how users interact with devices, firms can shift from one-time authentication to real-time identity assurance, turning every click, pause and keystroke into a frontline defense.
State Accused Tech Giant of Geolocation, Incognito Search, Biometric ViolationsTexas has reached a nearly $1.4 billion settlement agreement with technology giant Alphabet after accusing its Google subsidiary of violating state privacy laws via its geolocation, incognito search and biometric data capture and retention practices.
Also: Brazil Halts World ID BiometricsThis week, Trump issued an executive order on digital assets, Brazil halted the World ID project from collecting biometrics, Binance's CZ lands an "intern" position, KuCoin pleaded guilty in the United States, and France investigated Binance.
Rule Aims to Stymie Weaponization of Americans' DataThe U.S. federal government finalized Friday regulations throttling the bulk commercial transfer to China and Russia of data pinpointing Americans' location, their health data, or biometric and genomic identifiers. The rule implements a February executive order from President Joe Biden.
InfoSys McCamish Systems Earlier Alerted 57,000 Bank of America Clients of BreachInfosys McCamish Systems, an insurance software product and services vendor, is notifying nearly 6.1 million people of a 2023 ransomware incident that potentially comprised their sensitive data, including Social Security numbers, medical treatment, and financial and biometric information.
Kaspersky Unveils 24 Flaws in ZKTeco TerminalsA promise of better security through biometrics fell short after security researchers dismantled an access system manufactured by a Chinese manufacture, only to discover 24 vulnerabilities contained inside. ZKTeco specializes in hybrid biometric verification technology.
Experts Recommend Multimodal Biometrics as Mitigation Strategy for AI-Based AttacksWhile AI has spurred the growth of authentication controls, it has also enabled voice cloning and video deepfakes to become much more convincing. Fraud fighters are looking at adopting a multifactor authentication system using multimodal biometrics to fight against deepfakes.
Biometrics Stalwart Eyes M&A, Geographic Expansion With Private Equity Firm BackingPermira has acquired a majority stake in BioCatch at a $1.3 billion valuation, solidifying the company's global expansion plans. The behavioral biometrics company is exploring mergers and acquisitions, aiming to expand into key markets while consolidating its position in online fraud detection.
Leisure Center Operators Ordered to Stop Using Facial and Fingerprint RecognitionBritain's privacy watchdog ordered Serco Leisure, which operates nearly 40 leisure facilities, to cease using facial recognition and fingerprint scanning for clocking employees in and out, saying the company failed to demonstrate such technology was "necessary or proportionate."
GoldPickaxe Malware Can Record User’s Face - Use Video to Commit Deepfake ScamsA Chinese-speaking cybercrime group with the codename GoldFactory has built a new Android and iOS banking Trojan, GoldPickaxe, that can harvest and steal personal details, including biometric face profiles, that attackers use to create AI-driven deepfakes to fool bank defenses, researchers warn.
Both iOS and Android Variants Can Record Face Videos, Used to Create AI DeepfakesA Chinese-speaking cybercrime group codenamed GoldFactory has built a new Android and iOS banking Trojan, GoldPickaxe, that can to harvest and steal personal details, including biometric face profiles, which attackers use to create AI-driven deepfakes to fool bank defenses, researchers warn.