IP: biometrics....

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 10:07:31 -0500 (EST)
> From: "Mike O'Dell" <mo () ccr org>
> To: dave () farber net
>
>
> a security maven i know describes biometrics as
>
>         "The password you can't change,
>         even when it's been compromised."
>
> the "liveness" argument is dubious because it assumes
> that whatever "liveness" test is being used for a given
> biometric system cannot *ever* be confounded.
>
> why anyone should believe in the unassailability of that
> particular technology, as opposed to any other technology,
> is beyond my meager abilities.
>
> the underlying, much larger problem is that the notion of
> "identity" is profoundly slippery even in the "real world".
> the notion of "strong authentication" is a mathematical concept,
> not one already found in physical reality.  going through a
> serious background check gives one an idea of how hard it is
> to decided that, indeed, things are as they seem.
>
> at this point in technology, expecting computers to make
> distinctions and judgement calls that humans find quite
> difficult to make, much less codify, is something of a
> stretch.
>
>         -mo

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