Biometrics and Cryptogrpahy: Competing or Synergistic Technologies?

This research is being led by Shimon Modi, Abhilasha Bhargav-Spantzel, and Anna Cinzia Squicciarini.

Biometrics and cryptography have long been seen as competing technologies. A new school of thought is picking up momentum which sees both technologies as being symbiotic rather than competitive. An initiative to bridge the divide between areas of biometrics and cryptography is being progressed, and BSPA and CERIAS will be actively involved in this effort.

This work is researching methodologies to fuse biometrics with cryptography while keeping in mind the following criteria:

  • Practicality and ease of use
  • User Choice for Higher Assurance Option
  • User Acceptance
  • Multi-factor scalability
  • Unlinkability of different enrollments performed using the same biometric