Biometrics for Secure Authentication

Action Line: Towards a global dependability and security framework

The September 11th disaster has demonstrated the urgency of a more secured world. Ensuring the safety of the citizens, and society is a major concern. The increasing use of information sensitive applications, such as e-commerce, e-banking and health monitoring, has triggered a real need for reliable, user-friendly, and widely acceptable control mechanisms for checking the identity of an individual. Biometrics, which bases the person authentication on the intrinsic aspects of a human being, appears as a viable alternative to more traditional approaches (such as PIN codes or passwords). European biometrie research has already attained a high level of expertise. However, the recent results of the BioVision Roadmap show that the penetration of biometrics has been less enthusiastic than predicted, especially in Europe.

In order to overcome these current limitations, it would be necessary to balance the understanding of developments in the technology with the potential applications that will make use of them. We thus propose a NoE in the domain of biometrics grouping the critical mass of expertise required to promote Europe as a leading force in the field. The main objective of this network is to strengthen and to integrate multidisciplinary research efforts in order to investigate biometrics-based identity authentication methods, for the purpose of meeting the trust and security requirements in our progressing digital information society. This goal will be attained trough various integrating efforts. A common evaluation framework (such as databases, reference systems and assessment protocols) will be developed, participating to standardisation efforts. Identifying and addressing the technical challenges linked to applications will lead to the definition of joint research activities, aiming at the facilitation of the employability and practical use of the technology.

RCN: 71478
Last updated: 2004-07-30