Smart Card in Biometric Authentication

The use of biometric authentication has increased invariably in the past few years. One of the major reasons behind this is that it offers better access to information. This process made use of unimodal identification process, which was replaced with biometric smart card, which then became the latest method for identification. Today biometric smart card is being widely used in the process of identification and authentication. Because of the advantages that this process has it is expected that it will be used more in our environment. Basic characteristics of biometric identification, specific qualities of using a smart card in biometric identification, requirements and open issues regarding the authentication process in general and the implementation of biometric smart cards are being discussed in this paper. The paper also focuses on the areas where biometric identification could be put into practice. Biometric technology is used for automatic personal recognition based on biological trait or behavioral characteristics. In the future efforts have been made to develop this technology in two ways: further standardization of equipment and identification procedures, and the need for storing biometric identification samples onto portable devices such as smart card or USB; the other direction refers to the further development of multimodal biometric systems because of the expressed need for protection and raising of security and privacy levels in performing business activities as well as in personal life.