Biometrics to Replace Passwords

Ever worry that your password is too generic or you don’t know how to remember a password based on all of the requirements many companies are putting in place to try to protect you? Obviously, even if a site requires for example a password that has both letters and numbers, a lot of people might use Password123, which is extremely predictable at best.

While not necessarily hack proof (the right hacker could infiltrate even a complicated system), biometrics make everything personalized in a way that would be difficult to duplicate. According to IBM scientists, biometric passwords may even emerge within the next 5 years!

Everything from DNA to retinas and fingerprints can be used, and while you probably won’t be able to use biometrics on for example your blog, there’s no reason that we couldn’t program things like iPads, phones, and other electronic devices to require biometric passwords. These kinds of innovations could make it much easier to prove that you are you.

Originally, biometrics were not necessarily as accurate as they are now. We didn’t know if we could actually rely on them. However, considering the fact that India has started a massive biometrics census project to document all residents over the age of 15, we know more than we ever did before. If done correctly, India could have an unheard of knowledge of its actual population. Universal ID cards will be created with the promise being that this will streamline Indian lives.

Everything from taking out loans for school to paying taxes will be that much easier and accessible.

Scientists have developed more and more ways to weed out the fakers, stop hackers, and prevent mistakes. There are entire departments entirely devoted to spotting faked irises, faces, and even fingerprints. Early fingerprint scanners were not sophisticated enough to pick up on many of the fakes, but things are improving quickly.