Biometrics, which are physical or behavioral characteristics unique to a
person, are making their way into a number of everyday products. Certain
laptops and smartphones, for example, are equipped with fingerprint readers
that replace passwords with the simple swipe of a finger, and there are cars
that can recognize their owner’s voice to start the engine.
Smartcards are another familiar item that can benefit from the use of
biometrics. Certain biometrics, including fingerprint scans, handwritten PINs,
retina scans, and facial recognition are well suited for use with smartcards and have the potential to add an extra level of assurance and safety any time
someone uses a smart card to pay for something, enter a secure area, submit
private information, apply for a government service, cross a national border and so on.
Some applications, like electronic passports (ePPs) have been using biometrics
for more than a decade, but other applications are still in the early stages
of development. NXP has developed a biometric smart card that uses the
cardholder’s handwriting as a feature. The individual numbers of the
PIN code are captured in the writer’s unique way 0f writing through the
use of an integrated capacitive touchpad.
So where might you use this kind of biometric smart card? There are a few
contactless applications, such as transport ticketing and highway tolling,
where transaction speed is, for the most part, more important than secure
authentication and biometrics may not be a helpful addition to the process.
But these are the exceptions. Nearly every smart card application can benefit
from the extra security that comes from using biometrics. Here are just a few
examples:
-
Border crossings – Facial recognition and fingerprint scans
are already used in many locations
-
Physical-access control – A fingerprint reader, installed at
the entry point of a government office, research facility or military
installation, can be used in conjunction with the smart card to verify
identity
-
Banking and payment – Requiring a fingerprint scan or
handwriting sample to authorize the card can prevent thieves from using a
stolen card, even if they have the card and its PIN code
-
Online transactions – Connecting a biometric-enabled
smart card to a laptop, via a USB cable, can ensure that the purchase is only
being made by an authorized person
-
Government services – A scheme that supports direct PIN
entry with handwriting analysis on the card can provide secure access to
various services, from vehicle registration and tax declaration to social
programs like welfare and healthcare
-
Legal documents – Any document that requires a verified
signature can be made more secure when fingerprint scanners confirm
identities, even when people can’t appear in person to supply a
signature
Get the details
Our white paper, titled “Smartcards, security and biometrics,”
is a detailed look at the biometric techniques best suited for use with
smartcards. It presents the options for implementing biometrics in a smart card
system and provides examples of real-world biometric smartcards, including the
NXP implementation.
Download your copy today.
