Attacks on Biometrics: How Biometric Data Can Be Compromised

Unlocking your phone with your face, accessing an app with your fingerprint, or entering a building using facial recognition has already become part of many people’s daily routines.

These features rely on biometrics, an authentication technology based on unique and measurable characteristics of a person, such as fingerprints, facial features, iris patterns, and other physical traits.

Because it is convenient and makes it more difficult for someone else to use your credentials, biometric authentication can provide greater security for different systems. But that does not mean it cannot be attacked.

Biometric data can also be stolen or falsified. And there is an important difference between this type of information and a password: if your password is compromised, you can change it. Your fingerprint or face cannot simply be replaced.

That is why understanding how these attacks can happen is essential to using biometrics more securely.

Understanding the risks associated with biometric data is essential to taking advantage of biometric authentication while maintaining greater security and privacy.

How can biometric data be stolen?

When we use facial recognition or fingerprints for authentication, there is an entire system responsible for processing and validating that information.

This means criminals do not necessarily need to “steal your finger” or directly copy your face to compromise a biometric solution. Depending on the system, they may try to attack the infrastructure responsible for storing or processing this information.

An attacker may, for example, exploit a vulnerability to access biometric data stored on servers. A malicious insider with unauthorized access to the information may also pose a risk.

That is why protecting biometrics involves much more than simply protecting the sensor that reads a fingerprint.

How do attacks on biometric systems work?

Biometric hacking is a term used to refer to attacks that seek to compromise biometric authentication systems.

These attacks can happen in different ways.

One possibility is the theft of stored biometric information. Another is attempting to intercept data through devices or vulnerabilities in biometric readers themselves.

There is also another well-known type of attack: attempting to trick the system into believing that it is interacting with the legitimate person.

When criminals try to impersonate you

Biometric systems use algorithms to analyze specific characteristics and determine whether a person should be authenticated.

Criminals may try to exploit weaknesses in these mechanisms by presenting a fake representation of the expected biometric characteristic.

In some cases, for example, photos or videos have been used in attempts to fool facial recognition systems. There are also examples of three-dimensional masks being used to try to bypass this type of authentication.

This type of technique is known as biometric spoofing: instead of necessarily compromising the entire system, the attacker attempts to present a fake characteristic that will be accepted as legitimate.

More modern systems may use additional mechanisms designed specifically to detect these attempts, such as technologies capable of verifying whether a real person is actually present in front of the device.

So, is biometrics unsafe?

Not exactly.

The fact that a technology can be attacked does not mean it should no longer be used. Biometric authentication remains a reliable option in many contexts. The important thing is to understand that no authentication mechanism should be treated as infallible.

In addition, the level of risk varies depending on the system being used. Attempting to fool facial recognition on a smartphone, compromising a fingerprint reader, or attacking a biometric smart lock are different situations and may require completely different techniques.

For this reason, biometric systems can be compromised in different ways.

How can you protect your biometric data?

A significant part of the responsibility lies with the companies that develop and manage biometric devices and systems. Even so, there are some steps you can take to reduce the risks.

Use biometrics only on trusted devices and services, especially when they will have access to sensitive information. You should also keep your devices up to date, as new versions may include vulnerability fixes or improvements to authentication mechanisms.

Whenever the system allows it, combine biometrics with another form of protection, such as a PIN or another authentication factor. This additional layer can make unauthorized access more difficult if one of the mechanisms is compromised.

You should also avoid unnecessarily sharing or registering your biometric information on other people’s devices, and be careful when using your biometrics to grant unknown individuals access to protected areas.

Finally, biometrics are also a matter of privacy. Before providing this type of data, try to understand which information is being collected, why it is being collected, and how it will be stored. Give preference to services that are transparent about these practices.

Your biometrics are also data that need to be protected

Fingerprints, facial recognition, and other biometric features make authentication more convenient and can contribute to security. But convenience does not eliminate risk.

The main difference is that we are talking about characteristics that are part of who you are.

So, before registering your biometrics in any system, consider the security and privacy involved. Use trusted services, keep your devices protected, and whenever possible, combine different authentication mechanisms.