iGuard Terminology

Biometrics
The automatic recognition of persons based on unique combinations of measurable physical or behavioral characteristics. Examples include fingerprints, iris scanning, face and voice recognition, or hand geometry. All of these biometric techniques are differentiated by speed, durability, reliability, and cost effectiveness. Fingerprints are generally considered the most practical biometric identifier in use today.  The iGuard Security Network Appliances use Fingerprint technology.

Biometric Authentication Method (Mode)
The way biometric data (e.g. fingerprints) is used for authentication. The mode chosen for a biometric installation depends on the specific needs of a site, where either convenience or security may be emphasized.

Verification
Also known as 1:1 This type of biometric credential management system utilizes a secondary "statement of user identity". In other words, you must also authenticate yourself by something you possess or know and not just by something you are. An example her is when I walk up to my PC I insert my smart card (something I have) into a SC reader attached to my fingerprint scanner or input my PIN or password (something I know) and then authenticate biometrically using my finger on the scanner. The program asks: Is this person whom they claim to be? This type of credential management system is the fastest template matching method and is the most secure authentication method available today.

Identification
Also known as one-to-many or 1:n comparison. This type of biometric credential management relies solely upon the biometric credential as the statement of user identity.  As an example, when I place my finger upon the biometric reader, the program looks at the presented template and goes to the template warehouse and attempts to identify my fingerprint from the entire database.  The program asks: Who is this person?  Then it asks: Does this person have access?  Then the program grants or denies access based upon the business rules previously assigned.  This is the slowest form of authentication and is also the most open to the types of errors detailed above.

Authorization
The administration of person-specific rights, privileges, or access to data or corporate resources.

Authentication
Any systematic method of confirming the identity of an individual. Some methods are more secure than others. Simple authentication methods include user name and password, while more secure methods include token-based one-time passwords. The most secure authentication methods include layered or "multi-factor biometric procedures. This is independent of authorization.

  False Acceptance Rate
Also known as FAR. False Acceptance Rate - This is the rate at which a device will accept false biometric credentials as acceptable. This level of error is extremely rare, and usually falls within the 1 in 1,000,000 or better range. An example of this type of error: Ben is not authenticated to access his corporate network via biometric authentication. His fingerprint on his right index finger is close enough to Mary's that he is able to authenticate access by using her identity. He is granted access even though he doesn't possess valid biometric credentials. The odds of this happening in reality with 16 minutiae points captured is quite literally 1 in a Million.

False Rejection Rate
Also known as FRR. False Rejection Rate - This is the rate at which a device will deny access based upon misreading or misidentifying genuine biometric credentials as "false". An example of this type of error: Mary is authorized to access her facility by authenticating her fingerprint on a fingerprint reader at the door. Today, while trying to enter the facility, Mary didn't have her finger properly centered on the device, so the minutiae points captured and compared during this attempt are notably different than what is on the stored template. She is denied access even though she has a valid biometric credential (her finger). This is the most common type of error and most devices will default to a FRR as opposed to FAR if the templates are noticeably different.

Latent Fingerprint
Latent fingerprints are "left over" fragments usually caused by the build-up of oily residues on the optic sensor window after repeated use. The Verification technique used by iGuard devices to defeat "faked" fingerprints also prevents latent fingerprints from being incorrectly validated by the system.

Matching
Biometric data (e.g. fingerprints) are matched to another sample to confirm a person’s identity (authentication). For example, BioCert biometric systems use optic scanners to collect fingerprint minutiae, then create mathematical templates based on that information for storage. New input fingerprints are scanned and compared to the stored samples. If the minutiae matching threshold is met, the person is authenticated.

Minutiae
The unique, measurable physical characteristics scanned as input and stored for matching by biometric systems. For fingerprints, minutiae include the starting and ending points of ridges, and ridge junctions among other features.

Biometric Template
The biometric reference pattern of a person stored for matching. BioCert devices convert fingerprint minutiae into mathematical templates, so actual fingerprint images are not stored and cannot be reconstructed based on template data.

Master/Slave Units
The terms Master/Slave have been used for years in the computer industry to describe devices that are dependent upon a connection to each other.  A slave device receives instructions and data from the master unit and replicates all fingerprint and access privileges from the master unit.  In this configuration, you can control and query multiple iGuard units from a single web interface on the master device. 

Once you set privileges and access rights, each slave unit will accept these instructions and carry them out even if the devices are disconnected from the network.  Each iGuard can store up to 4000 transactions and once the connection to the network is restored, each slave unit will upload the transaction data to the master device.