As the age of password authentication falls to newer and faster password cracking hardware, software, and list building tools, technologists have been looking at other authentication methods. Many of these techniques we have covered here: two-factor authentication (2FA), secure key, smartphone authentication apps, Google’s USB security dongle, fingerprint readers, and other biometrics.
Recently, Samsung, together with SRI, have started working on an iris recognition authentication methodology called IOM or “Iris On the Move.” The human iris, the colored part of the eye, controls the size of the pupil and how much light enters the eye and makes it to the retina on the back of the eye. The pattern inherent in the iris, much like the fingerprint, is supposed to be unique among humans. Fingerprint readers can be fooled by something as simple a s a wood glue cast of a fingertip. The iris reader should be much harder to trick in this way. Testing is still underway, but you may see this technology unveiled on an Android phone soon.
My concept of where authentication is heading, at least for the immediate future, is the replacement of password authentication with some form of password plus – password plus 2FA, password plus smartphone app, password plus security device, password plus biometrics. My recommendation is to increase password length to ten or more characters, and use the plus factors whenever they are available, especially on financial accounts, email accounts, and online shopping accounts such as Amazon.
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About the Author:
I am a cybersecurity and IT instructor, cybersecurity analyst, pen-tester, trainer, and speaker. I am an owner of the WyzCo Group Inc. In addition to consulting on security products and services, I also conduct security audits, compliance audits, vulnerability assessments and penetration tests. I also teach Cybersecurity Awareness Training classes. I work as an information technology and cybersecurity instructor for several training and certification organizations. I have worked in corporate, military, government, and workforce development training environments I am a frequent speaker at professional conferences such as the Minnesota Bloggers Conference, Secure360 Security Conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, the (ISC)2 World Congress 2016, and the ISSA International Conference 2017, and many local community organizations, including Chambers of Commerce, SCORE, and several school districts. I have been blogging on cybersecurity since 2006 at http://wyzguyscybersecurity.com