Biometrics continue to stand first in line to replace traditional passwords. All those whose employees use long and complex combinations of letters and numbers will be looking forward to a system whereby all that is required is for a fingerprint or iris pattern to be recognized by a sensor in order to access the services that employees have to use every day.
Nevertheless, in addition to these two popular systems which some latest generation mobile devices already incorporate, other biometric-based systems have been put forward as the alternative that will finally consign traditional passwords to history. This is the case with signature recognition.
What is it?
The truth is that this is a system that has been around for decades, in one form or another. Whenever you pay by credit card and have to sign a digital screen with an e-pencil, signature recognition is being used to confirm your identity. What’s happening is that your signature pattern is being contrasted with the one that your bank has stored in its systems.
This is not however a simple comparison of both images. The security software doesn’t just place the two signatures next to each other to see if they coincide, or at least, if they are similar. In reality, signature recognition compares the way that both images have been created, looking for a similar behavioral pattern.
Advantages and Disadvantages
So although it may be relatively simple to forge a signature, replicating the speed and pressure that was used to make the signature is practically impossible. As such, signature recognition using the most advanced technologies appears to be the perfect replacement for passwords for operating corporate bank accounts.
However, as with all secure identification methods, there are also downsides. One of the major setbacks is that the way we sign things varies for a number of reasons, which is a serious challenge. For the system to be practical, it is essential to be able to distinguish between a slow signature due to an injury and one that is the result of an attempted fraud.
Moreover, it is not an efficient way, at least at present, of accessing services. In fact, when you sign for something when paying for it, this data is not being used in real time. Instead, the data is sent to your bank to be validated later.
The current failings, however, of signature recognition will not see the door closed on this technology. It is more than likely that future corporate banking operations will be authorized through a simple signature on a tablet or smartphone.
Panda Security specializes in the development of endpoint security products and is part of the WatchGuard portfolio of IT security solutions. Initially focused on the development of antivirus software, the company has since expanded its line of business to advanced cyber-security services with technology for preventing cyber-crime.
