What are the privacy implications of using a biometric image vs. a biometric template for authentication?
From the early 1890s, fingerprint images have been used to match individuals to samples left on an object. These images were kept on cards with various methodologies used to file them based on certain image characteristics. This process created a need for officials to physically protect the images from compromise due to the possibility of the images be stolen and used in an illegal manner. The demand for automated systems stems from the success experienced by the early, mostly law enforcement, efforts to use biometrics to identify criminals. Biometrics can be used to protect us and verify our identities at our discretion. Today’s physical and logical access systems typically use biometric templates rather than the actual image to perform matching operations. A template is a mathematical representation of the biometric information rather than the biometric image itself. As the biometric is scanned at enrollment, it is converted to a template. Therefore, the biometric image is never actu
