Biometrics is a general term used alternatively to describe a characteristic or process.

• As a characteristic: biometric is a measurable biological (anatomical and physiological) and behavioral characteristic that can be used for automatic recognition.
• As a process: biometric is an automated method for recognizing an individual based on measurable biological (anatomical and physiological) and behavioral characteristics.

Biometric indicators that are often applied or studied include fingerprints, face, iris, voice, signature, and hand geometry. Many other modalities are at different stages of development and evaluation.

There is no single biometric technology that is best suited for all applications. Many factors need to be taken into account when implementing a biometric device, including location, security risks, task (identification or verification), expected number of users, user circumstances, existing data, and more. It is also important to note that biometric conditions are different stages of maturity. For example, fingerprint recognition has been used for more than a century, while iris recognition has been around for a little over a decade. It should be noted that maturity is not related to which technology is the best, but it can be an indicator of which technologies have more experience in implementation.

Recognition is a term and does not necessarily mean verification or identification. All biometric systems perform "recognition" to "re-recognize" a person who has been previously registered.

Verification is a task in which the biometric system tries to confirm a person's claimed identity by comparing a submitted sample with one or more pre-registered templates.

Identification is a task in which the biometric system tries to determine the identity of the individual. Biometric data is collected and compared with all templates in a database. Identification is a "closed set" if the person is known to exist in the database. Identifying with an "open set", sometimes called a "watch list", does not guarantee that the person exists in the database. The system must determine if the person is in the database.

No. Fingerprint readers never capture or store an image of your actual fingerprint. The fingerprint sensor identifies unique points and measurements in your fingerprint and creates a digital pattern (not an image) to match.

Once a person stops growing, his fingerprints and other biometric data are largely constant.

One of the myths is that biometric data is new and dangerous. Biometrics in today's world are as old as using a signature or attaching a photo to a document. Secure and secure storage of your biometric data should not be more important than providing your billing information to businesses you already trust with your personal data. Almost all identity thefts today occur from traditional sources (such as theft or production of driver's licenses or passports). In fact, biometrics can help protect your identity. In the future, it will be much harder to break up a chaos in your life because they know all your passwords or secret answers, and it will also be much harder for criminals to assume your identity. There are many examples of the disintegration of traditional identity systems based on the coincidence of names, where inappropriate people are detained and sometimes even imprisoned due to the lack of other ways to establish identity.

Biometric technologies today are not much more expensive than most other reliable second factors. Many biometric systems operate from relatively inexpensive sensors such as cameras or telephones, and even fingerprint sensors these days can be made cheap enough that they are becoming standard on laptops.