Biometric security in 2022 and beyond

Biometric security in 2022 and beyond

According to Statista, global biometric systems market revenue was around $36.6 billion in 2020 and will reach $68.6 billion by 2025. Evgenia Marina, Head of Sales MENA region at RecFaces looks at what we should be looking out for in the world of biometric security.

When it comes to data breaches, human error and poor passwords account for the majority of lapses in security. Which is why biometric security technology is growing in popularity. The field of biometric security is still actively developing and adapting to new conditions – and at the same time some trends in the biometrics market are even accelerating.

In addition to traditional systems, new promising trends and technologies using biometrics, such as cloud services, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and cybersecurity, are also developing. A key boost in the development of the biometrics market, according to expert opinion, will be the state concerns regarding national security due to terrorist acts and the increasing issue of important data breaches.

Leading experts and analysts consider that the current stage of the biometrics industry is in transition – from security and authentication to larger-scale activities that will expand the boundaries of security while providing new levels of intelligent and sustainable development of the society and business sphere.

Digital identity gains

In recent years, access control tools have evolved far from the use of keys, PINs and identification cards. Now we live in the era of biometrics. Biometric authentication systems, from finger and palm print recognition to facial and iris recognition, have gained a leading position in the access control market.

Biometric access control systems offer important benefits such as increased security and effectiveness. Biometric technology verifies authenticity in seconds and prevents unnecessary physical contact, which was particularly unwanted during the pandemic.

According to Shufti Pro analysts, due to the pandemic, biometric technology has become the most sustainable solution for security issues. Secure identification with the use of biometric technology is a logical and profitable way to further digitalisation.

So what can we expect for the future of biometrics?

Cyberattacks in the age of artificial intelligence

Cybercriminals are becoming more advanced in both identifying their objectives and using the tech tools, as machine learning and AI capabilities become more widespread in everyday life. Since AI is improving criminals’ methods, now they consistently attack systems on a daily basis. A notable example of an AI-based cyberattack is deepfake, which is used to exploit identification systems by impersonating the facial features of victims. The development of these sophisticated threats will accelerate in 2022.

Strengthening confidence in the sharing economy

Sharing platforms like Uber, Airbnb and others use P2P services to connect people and apply innovative ways to prove their credibility. At this stage, people can expect a wider use of data verification systems in this sector, allowing companies to provide credible services as well as improve the customer experience.

The growing importance of confidential credentials

Limiting authentication to a certain person is an important task in areas ranging from financial institutions to education centres and the sharing economy. In ride-sharing companies, it is difficult to verify the legitimacy of both drivers and customers. It is quite difficult to monitor the drivers to know whether the registered persons are performing their duties or not. Since credentials and gadgets can be exchanged or forcibly taken away, biometric authentication will take the lead role in this area.

National regulation to stimulate innovation

States are expected to focus on activities in 2022 to build confidence and endorse the legality of electronic transactions and the security state of access to services. SaaS providers will be offering more innovation because new ideas are emerging every day, such as digital wallets and verifiable credentials to comply with new standards and build trust in digital technology.

Unstaffed shops

The popularity of the concept of shops without staff increased during the covid-19 pandemic. Customers need only to download the mobile app and scan it before entering the store. In addition, they have biometric face recognition devices with AI support, which check customers. The store also has digital cameras that monitor clients and capture all customer actions, including goods they put in bags. Many pilot unstaffed stores are already open but are still being tested. However, in 2022 such stores may become a common occurrence.

Continuous biometric authentication

Real-time biometric authentication systems mitigate the risk of criminal activity, such as hacking or database breaches. Technology analysts believe that biometric technologies will often be included in the continuous authentication process because today the concept of zero-trust starts to play a great role in the cyber security sector. Having high capabilities to provide security, businesses and individuals both prefer biometric authentication solutions over relying on conventional passwords. For example, modern cars provide automatic door locking if there is no key owner nearby, and the car itself will not start without a key either. The car will be unlocked only when the owner returns. However, this innovation has drawbacks. For greater security, biometric technologies, such as facial recognition, can be built into the key.

Behavioural biometrics

This type of biometrics takes into account human behaviour. Behavioural biometrics solutions identify people by studying user actions such as keystroke dynamics, signature verification, voice recognition, gesture recognition, and others. In this system, the biometric system checks the user’s behaviour against a profile constructed from a large number of physiological, cognitive and contextual features. Now this area of biometric technology is still developing. However, it shows great promise because such technologies can improve the security of end-user data, which will help create new opportunities to expand the biometric technology market soon.

Allied Market Research (AMR) analysts believe that local and cloud services can become the main models for deploying behavioural biometrics, while such technologies will be most widespread and applied in applications for identity confirmation, continuous authentication, risk management and compliance, as well as detection and prevention of fraud.

Biometrics in the cloud

Cloud technologies are evolving together with the evolution of biometric identification. The aim of cloud biometric solutions is an integration of multiple segments into systems that can meet customer requirements, concerning not only security issues. In this way, if you combine biometric technologies and cloud services, Saas solutions could create multi-factor authentication solutions that could further reduce identity theft and information leakage.

Biometric solutions are becoming increasingly sophisticated as advanced technology emerges and as organisations wake up to the higher level of security biometric verification can offer. A large number of fraudulent or malicious attacks are prompting the development of new ways to protect personal data using actively developing biometric technologies that help reveal cases of falsification.