Can Iris Recognition do away with PIN’s and Passwords?
Judging from the numerous articles we’ve recently written on the subject, we know that iris recognition is quickly becoming all the rage. With the Department of Homeland Security testing new iris recognition equipment at the Mexican border this month and the town of Leon, Mexico where officials plan to create the world’s largest iris scan database.
Whatever side you come down on – whether it’s thinking iris scanning is the be-all-end-all to security systems worldwide, or if you think it’s a creepy Minority Report-style reality yet to come, one thing’s for certain: it’s a conversation that you’ll be hearing more and more of in the coming year.
One writer for the Jordan Times finds himself in the former group, arguing that iris scanning is the way of the future and the solution to many of life’s newer problems – passwords and PIN’s. A password is typically 9 characters long and not necessarily strong enough to protect files and accounts. A crafty hacker can break a 9 character code in a few hours or days at most. Twelve digit codes are far more secure and while a bit more difficult to memorize perhaps, they can take over a year to break.
The writer argues that codes, PIN’s, and passwords make life overly complex and disorganized. With dozens of passwords necessary for each and every site and function in your daily routine, it’s a wonder any of us can keep track at all. Writing them down? It’s a temporary solution but just adds to the complexity of the entire system. He argues that the real answer is biometrics. But not just any biometric, iris scanning.
Not all biometrics are on the same footing. Voice, face, and thumbprint have been shown to have problems with speed and accuracy. Iris recognition, he says, is flawless (we know that there are some debates as to the functionality of iris recognition over a period of time) and is a proponent of the technology for the fact that an iris is one-of-a-kind, can’t be copied, stolen, or used after death. These are all points the could be reasonably contested and a quick search around the Internet will reveal some of the counter arguments to what seems to be a now inevitable technological change.
Still, he does have a few solid points, one of which is that iris-scan-enabled cameras could easily be replaced or built into a variety of personal and handheld digital devices. It’s a clean system as well – there’s no need to touch anything, no physical contact necessary, and can be applied to a number of existing systems (ATM, phones, computers) without a major hardware overhaul.
Password protection is obsolete
Related articles:
- Beware of Problems With Iris Recognition
- Iris Recognition is Advancing. Could It Help Eye Tracking?
- Homeland Security to Start Testing Iris Recognition
- Some Interesting Questions for Iris Recognition
- Passengers Accept Iris Recognition Technology in Major Airports
- The All-In-One AOptix Face and Iris Recognition System
- Iris Recognition at a Greater Distance
- Iris Recognition Becoming Critical Part of NYC Police Database
- Iris Recognition Finds Support at U.S. State Department
- Iris Recognition: Biometric Security in Mexico