Behavioral Biometrics- A brief
Continuous Authentication is the future!
Imagine where your every action, from typing on your keyboard to moving your mouse, creates a digital fingerprint that could identify you with unparalleled accuracy. This is the essence of behavioral biometrics, which harnesses the power of technology to understand and authenticate individuals based on their digital, physical, and cognitive behaviors.
Let us explore behavioral biometrics in detail!
Behavioral Biometrics utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence to consistently evaluate and build the identity of online users through the development of individualized profiles for authentication purposes by analyzing an individual’s physical, digital, and cognitive behaviors.
By doing so, it mitigates security concerns like credential theft, user substitution, phishing attacks, stolen passwords and accounts, licensing misuse, and any type of theft/fraud that can be avoided/neglected.
How does it operate?
Behavioral Biometrics differentiates between authentic and fraudulent activities by analyzing user actions like swiping, typing, and device movement. It builds user behavior profiles for detecting and preventing suspicious transactions, triggering alerts for further scrutiny to ensure account security and user legitimacy.
Unlike traditional biometrics that require scanning of body parts, like fingerprints or face, behavioral biometrics operate discreetly in the background. Users are never interrupted, as they go about their daily tasks.
Behavioral Biometrics Categories:
1. Device-Based Gestures:
People have distinct interaction patterns with their devices. These patterns encompass typing habits, keystroke speed and duration, and mouse movement behavior, all of which hold significant relevance to behavioral intent analysis.
Examination of cursor movement, speed, direction changes, clicks, and interactions, forms the foundation for establishing user behavior profiles.
- Typing Patterns and Keystroke Monitoring:
Examining an individual’s unique typing rhythm and keystroke dynamics establishes a baseline for normal typing behavior. Sudden deviations in typing speed or unusual keystrokes can trigger fraud alerts.
- Mouse Movements and Navigation:
User mouse movement and interactions with websites can serve as valuable behavioral biometric data. Irregular mouse movements, rapid clicks, or erratic navigation patterns may indicate fraudulent activities, particularly during online transactions or account access.
- Touchscreen Interactions:
Analyzing pressure, swipe gestures, and touch patterns on a device’s touchscreen can identify consistent user behavior and detect any anomalies that could signify fraudulent activities.
2. Voice Inputs & Patterns
The human voice is inherently unique. By capturing attributes such as pitch and formants, one can easily verify the identity and motives of the speaker. Voice inputs and patterns undergo analysis, with distinct, recurring sound variations during speech captured and evaluated in the realm of behavioral biometrics.
3. Kinesthetics (Posture & Gait):
Kinaesthetic behaviors pertain to how a person’s body moves and how their weight is distributed. Behavioral biometrics records and analyses user gait, device handling, and body movements, including stride length, upper body posture, and movement pace, all to identify potentially fraudulent activity.
4. Device Recognition:
Monitoring the devices customers use to access their accounts enables banks to spot unauthorized devices or sudden deviations in device usage patterns. If a customer logs in from a different device or location abruptly, it may raise suspicions of fraudulent activity.
5. Location and IP Address Analysis:
Any login attempts from an unfamiliar location, or an IP address associated with suspicious activities can trigger additional security measures or authentication steps.
Behavioral Biometrics in Payments and Banking:
Banks and financial institutions prioritize security. Behavioral biometrics offer ongoing identification, rendering it challenging for fraudsters to mimic real users. This adds an extra layer of defense, aiding in the early detection of threats before they lead to fraudulent actions. Furthermore, it enhances Know Your Client (KYC) capabilities, a vital aspect of financial security. Additionally, biometrics deliver a more user-friendly and secure experience compared to traditional PINs and passwords.
