Behavioral biometrics as a New Edge of Authentication

The average person has 20 or even much more passwords. But how to remember all of them? How many of us have ever reset our passwords? By the way, even if you have a strong password, it can be hacked. Passwords are no longer safe. The future of authentication can hide in technology, called ‘’behavioral biometrics’’.

Behavioral biometrics is a brand new technology that analyzes user`s behavior by different device sensors to verify his identity. This technology helps to collect all the user`s data of how he interacts with a device, including keystrokes and mouse movement, and creates a unique behavioral biometric user profile on each device.

The main advantage of biometric screening is total security because user`s behavior is unique and nobody can imitate or hack it. Thus, unauthorized access to the system is impossible.

Another advantage is that biometric screening protects from unauthorized access after authentication: if a user has forgotten to log out, the system can detect that someone else uses a computer or a device, and immediately react to any actions. This means automatic security from theft because your laptop or smartphone will immediately and automatically lock if anyone tries to use it.

The primary type of behavioral biometrics is the manner of typing. Biometrics software detects the speed of typing, pressing the keyboard`s buttons or to a touchscreen, the timing of typing, etc. Moreover, behavioral biometrics involves many other user`s behavioral features as walking, pace, his eyes` movements, voice and so on. All these are the ways of identification, which do not require from a user to remember any data. By the way, a user can even do nothing to be verified: he just use his device like always, and the system detects, firstly, his behavior, and next, his rights, itself.

Today behavioral biometrics is not widespread all over the world. Experts suggest biometric screening in cases that require additional authentication levels. Banks are pioneers in using behavioral biometrics. Banking sphere is one of the areas that can benefit most from recent innovations in biometrics software development as many of the operations depend on the reliable authentication and management of their customers’ identities. This technology helps to reduce costs such as the use and recording of information on paper and prevent frauds. Danske Bank in Denmark is a follower of this technology. According to The Wall Street Journal data, Danske uses biometrics software made by BehavioSec company. This software alerts and locks user`s account if user`s behavior does not coincide with the initial behavioral template.

This year, Google has announced a new program interface called Trust API. Google partners will test this biometrics software, and if everything is okay, Trust API will be available on the market till the end of 2016. With Trust API the system continuously analyzes user`s actions. It follows how he presses the keyboard, what places he visits, it also detects his walking and speech features, and other indicators. Google says, Trust API copes with user`s identification 10 times better, then fingerprints scanners. By the way, it is 2 times more reliable, then PIN-codes. If the system is sure about user`s personality, then it is okay. But if your device is stolen, for example, Trust API might require different actions to verify a user.

NuData Security has also developed an innovative biometrics software called NuDetect. This solution protects customer`s experience by accurately verifying the user`s digital identity. For NuData Security this software is about giving a million of customers a better experience by knowing who they are. NuDetect begins building layers of intelligence about the user at the moment he interacts with a website or an app. NuDetect detects device connection and geolocation, how the user touches the screen or types. It captures and analyzes hundreds of these kinds of parameters. Creating a digital identity that cannot be lost, stolen or imitated. This allows verifying the human in a digital world accurately.

Massive biometrics implementation is an evidence of a new age – age of humans and robots interaction. Not so long ago biodata was only a dream and something futuristic, but now it becomes real. In general, there are risks about biometrics software development. Hack attacks will not stop, and hackers will adapt to new ways of data security. So, if someone steals user`s biometric data, he will get all the private information. Nevertheless, it is almost impossible now to copy biometrics.

Nowadays, such biometric technologies as face detection or fingerprints scanning are already used in business. Some of them are embedded in CCTV system and Access control system. By the way, the Internet of Things is rapidly developing, and smart houses will need behavioral biometrics so that people can enter their homes without keys. Undoubtedly, in the nearest future, behavioral biometrics will become an ordinary thing for us.