Are Biometrics the Next Big Thing in Cyber?

Biometrics could have an incredibly, untapped impact on the field of cybersecurity.
According to Slate Tech Magazine:

The move to leverage biometrics, the measurement and analysis of unique behavioral and physical characteristics as a means of identity management — in both public safety and civic engagement — is on the rise.
In many ways, the passion for biometrics at the consumer level was sparked by Apple’s introduction of the Touch ID fingerprint authentication feature for the iPhone in 2013. Now, in 2016, biometrics has advanced by leaps and bounds.
The New Jersey Institute of Technology has compiled an infographic highlighting the benefits and evolution of fighting crime with biometrics technology over the years. Some of the pros of using biometrics to fight crime include the fact that:

• 92 percent of passwords can be hacked
• 87 percent of U.S. travelers are willing to share biometric data to make travel easier and more secure
• 70 percent of Americans have forgotten a password or had it exposed to risks

Some of the cons of biometrics technology include the fact that:

• 53 percent of Americans would be comfortable replacing passwords with fingerprint ID
• 45 percent of Americans would be comfortable replacing passwords with retinal scans
• 32 percent of Americans do not trust any organization with their biometric information

Fingerprints and retinal scans have been the domain of most biometric applications, but future biometric data that could be leveraged for identity management include ear shape, heartbeat, scent and typing.

Click here to view the full infographic from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.