Introduction
Philippine businesses should leverage biometrics to boost security and access control in the digitalization era. Biometrics as a credential is deemed stronger and safer because unique body traits are difficult to duplicate. Patterns from fingerprints, irises, and palm veins also don’t get lost like key cards or hacked like passwords, lowering the risk of identity theft and unauthorized access to assets.
As modernization progresses, businesses must ensure that all their assets, both physical and digital, are encrypted and protected from thieves and fraudsters. This article by Internet of Things Philippines Inc. explores how relying on biometric systems can help accomplish these goals faster and provides tips on how to strengthen workplace security further.
Benefits of Using Biometrics for Enhancing Business Security
Biometric technology can enhance workplace security in several ways. The right device offers stronger protection against unauthorized access and enables improved tracking and monitoring processes. Leveraging this technology eliminates inefficient and inaccurate manual access control, enabling businesses to focus more on growth and streamlining processes.
Additionally, installing biometric systems in the workplace provides the following advantages:
Provides Stronger Protection Than Passwords
Using unique human identifiers through biometric access control systems provides an extra protective layer to restricted spaces, facilities, and assets. Compared to hackable and easy-to-copy passwords, fingerprints and iris patterns are harder to duplicate.
That said, it does not necessarily mean businesses should eliminate credentials like passwords, codes, or proximity cards. In fact, the key to implementing tighter security measures is to use multiple factors to make it harder for unauthorized individuals to access protected assets. For instance, if it’s to enter a bank vault, an individual should pass the iris scan first and then input a code only that person knows.
Improves Identification Accuracy
A biometric device has a more reliable identity verification system than, say, manual ID checking and SMS or call verification. This is because the technology matches the person with pre-enrolled information from its database; unless the individual underwent official enrollment, the machine wouldn’t verify their identity, eventually denying them access.
Biometrics are also unique to each individual. Combine that fact with a device that accurately captures data and safely stores them in a protected device, and you can expect lower chances of people accessing your assets illegally. To maximize a biometric device’s potential, look for systems with anti-spoofing and anti-tampering features.
Makes Access Control Consistent and Efficient
Biometric devices are systematic and rely on existing data to grant users access. In situations where an authorized person is forced to scan their biometrics, most devices have a duress feature to create a silent notification to the authorities without endangering their safety. These devices are also efficient — scanning biometric data will only take a few seconds, eliminating any cause for hold-ups and delays in accessing assets.
Installing biometric machines to secure highly restricted areas is also practical. Manual access control can be unreliable, especially if your business relies on human guards. Many security breaches are caused by staff being bribed, threatened, or subjected to worse situations — which can be prevented if there’s a biometric machine to protect them instead.
Improves Activity and Time Tracking
Enhancing security involves streamlining your activity and time-tracking system. To do this, most companies utilize fingerprint scanners connected to an attendance system. The machine automatically records employees’ sign-ins and sign-outs into a linked attendance tracker (a spreadsheet, for instance) and makes them available to HR in seconds.
This accurate documentation of workplace traffic is valuable for auditing access grants and other activities involving protected business assets. If one item is missing or a piece of information is leaked, the record can likely help you trace the cause of the breach. Such a system can also prevent dishonesty and buddy-punching among employees, which protects your company’s integrity and cost-saving opportunities.
Allows Further Security Enhancements
Using biometric devices to enhance security means utilizing a full system. The scanner is just part of an intricate network that works together to ensure the technology functions as intended. As such, you can enhance security by ensuring that each part of the system meets standards.
For instance, a fingerprint scanner should be integrated into a secure database to store information for later data matching. If you’re using cloud storage, you should choose one with the latest security features to protect your sensitive data from breaches. Also, the scanner should be compatible with tracking and monitoring software so you can properly document individuals accessing your workplace and assets.
Ways To Further Enhance Biometrics Security in Businesses
Biometrics can undoubtedly help businesses in the Philippines enhance their access control and security systems. However, even unique traits, like fingerprints and palm prints, can be spoofed or duplicated by seasoned tech fraudsters. Still, you can rely on biometric technology to protect you if you enhance its capabilities. You can do so by considering the following methods:
Multimodal Authentication
Fingerprint alone can be weak against advanced security threats. As such, you should install a multimodal biometric authentication system to provide layers of protection. Hybrid technologies, like a fingerprint and facial recognition scanner in one machine, can enhance workplace security as they require multiple credentials. Unless the threat is coercing the data subject, acquiring duplicates for each biometric trait will be challenging. Enterprises can also utilize a combination of authentication modes, including biometrics (what you have), PIN codes (what you know), and RFID cards (what you carry), to mitigate various threats and overcome access control system vulnerabilities.
Strong Network Security
Biometric devices are connected to networks for data storage and processing. As such, you should be extra careful in choosing which network to utilize. It’s a given that you pick a private network for biometric scanners and then barricade that with complex security features, such as firewalls, anti-malware software, and application security.
Anti-Spoof Technology
While it’s challenging to duplicate biometric data, it does not mean no one can do them. In fact, some threat actors can replicate fingerprint patterns to access accounts and assets illegally, to the detriment of the real owner of the trait.
Fortunately, you can improve your biometric security by implementing anti-spoofing measures. Most biometric devices have liveness detection to counteract fake fingerprints made from materials such as silicone, putty, playdough, and others. Liveness detection can also differentiate between the presence of a real person and a picture or photo being presented to the facial recognition device. Furthermore, you can require users to provide two or more proofs of identity before they’re granted access. To illustrate, many banks in the Philippines enhance access control by combining fingerprint or facial recognition with one-time PINs sent to the user’s dedicated mobile phones.
Conclusion
If used correctly, biometrics can indeed enhance access control and security systems of businesses in the Philippines. Aside from knowing which device to use, it’s also important for companies to recognize the benefits they gain from using biometrics and ensure that these advantages are maximized. Companies should also keep up with technological advancements to defend their assets from complex threats that bypass biometric credentials.
You can rely on Internet of Things Philippines Inc. to do these things, as we offer an array of top-of-the-line biometric devices to suit every business needs. Moreover, we have a team of experts that can install and integrate the technology to secure networks and platforms. Contact us today and start enhancing your workplace security with biometric systems!
