Posted by SecExtra on March 21st, 2009

In order to know who is who and what their security level is, computer security biometrics software is being increasingly used in computer security. Biometrics is a system that uses information technology to measure and recognize physical characteristics of people.

With this data, a computer biometrics security system can compare requests for entry or access to data with the profile of a person that it has stored in its database. A few years ago such systems and software were viewed almost as science fiction, but they are now commonplace in many environments and the trend is growing.

In the not too distant future we can expect to see biometric software to increase computer security levels in applications such as e-commerce and access to cell phones and cars. This is in addition to the work being done on authorization of access.

Biometrics is now being used in 3D software for the even more precise recognition of a person’s face and physical characteristics. In this way, it becomes virtually impossible for someone to try to trick the security biometrics software by presenting a two dimensional photo.

Here are some of the applications that computer security biometrics software will allow:

Passive surveillance of people entering different locations, where surveillance cameras monitor entrances to all rooms to accurately capture information on the people who enter. This information can be compared almost instantaneously with a database of millions of profiles and can alert to security staff if a match is found with a known suspect.

Access authorization by facial recognition: the systems already exist to recognize people who request access to a particular facility. They require that the subject be situated relatively close to the camera and that the lighting be also adapted to recognition. In the future, however, these systems will be able to identify people in a variety of different situations, distances and lighting.

The information that is gathered in the first two examples can then be processed by backend computer security software. This software will use biometric comparisons and alert security staff via telephone, mobile, or any other available communication device if there is a problem.

Considerable investments are being made today in product development for these biometric applications. The initial results confirm the interest of investors in this area and the product offerings will be reinforced in the coming years with improved performance and capabilities. The market potential is considerable: both government agencies and corporate businesses have requirements to maintain strict security and these systems are a solution for that.

The only aspect that hasn’t yet been worked out is the inter operability of such computer security software and systems. An international organization for standardizing biometric products exists and different suppliers of biometric security solutions should in the future be able to connect with one another.

Buyers will then have better choice and more assurance of fully interoperable solutions. Computer security biometrics software is therefore a growing field with much still to do, but that already has impressive panoply of product offerings.

For the consumer there is an ever expanding range of products utilizing biometrics on the market. A couple of products that drew my attention where a mouse and a flash drive with fingerprint recognition. View these solutions on amazon.com today..