# Behavioral Biometrics: Simple and Secure way to Authenticate Consumers’ Digital Identities
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-09-29
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: The Battle for Secure Digital Identities: Addressing the
Meta Description: Discover how the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the flaws in current online verification methods. Learn about the challenges and potential solutions to ensure
URL: https://financedigest.com/behavioral-biometrics-simple-and-secure-way-to-authenticate-consumers-digital-identitieshtml

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_By_ **_Amir Nooriala,_** _CCO at Callsign_

Apart from the long-term impact on our society, the COVID-19 pandemic will leave many other legacies. One of those is the question of how we authentically verify online identities.

When we moved online, authentication processes from the physical world were [digitized rather than re-designed for the digital world](https://www.financedigest.com/fraud-in-a-mobile-digital-world.html "FRAUD IN A MOBILE DIGITAL WORLD"). The processes [businesses digitized](https://www.financedigest.com/fintechs-support-of-ukraines-digital-businesses-can-be-used-as-blueprint-across-the-world.html "Fintech’s support of Ukraine’s digital businesses can be used as blueprint across the world") lack security, are cumbersome and don’t preserve privacy. And the rise in online fraud, scams, [social engineering](https://www.financedigest.com/31972social-engineering-in-the-financial-services-people-are-the-weakest-link-in-the-security-chain.html "Social engineering in the Financial Services : People Are The  Weakest Link in the Security Chain") and synthetic identities over the last year has shown us just how broken the process is – our digital identities are clearly broken.

[Solving this issue](https://www.financedigest.com/how-the-financial-services-industry-can-solve-the-issue-of-vulnerable-code.html "How the financial services industry can solve the issue of vulnerable code") is the key to fast and sustained economic recovery across the globe. But how do we start?

We’ve recently seen various governments, regulators and private sector organizations seek to enhance online customer authentication through legislation like the [digital identity bill](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8215/text?r=20&s=1), regulation and more robust technology and processes.

Often these measures leverage different forms of biometric technology to assist with the difficult task of reliable identity verification, and while physical biometrics can certainly improve the process, it’s hardly a [quick fix](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-demands-quick-fix-from-u-s-of-green-subsidy-law.html "EU demands quick fix from U.S. of green subsidy law").

Businesses, governments and consumers [need to be cautious when adopting the technology for many reasons:](https://www.financedigest.com/5-reasons-why-e-commerce-sites-need-a-token-gateway.html "5 reasons why e-commerce sites need a token gateway")

- **Computer says no**

Physical biometrics – facial recognition or fingerprints – works by asking a closed question: Is this the user’s face? Is this the user’s fingerprint? Yes or no. And while a user can move their finger around whenreading on a phone, it can be difficult and time consuming to get facial readers to work. If biometrics is the only method of authentication and the computer doesn’t recognize you, what happens next?

- **Technology bias**

Authentication solutions need to work for everyone, and the use of [biometric technology](https://www.financedigest.com/the-rise-of-biometric-technology-in-banking.html "biometric technology") can exclude pockets of the population and perpetuate inequality through racial or religious bias and technology elitism.

- **Security limitations**

There are [security limitations around facial biometrics](https://www.financedigest.com/taming-the-new-wild-west-how-biometrics-can-help-the-ecb-deliver-a-secure-digital-euro.html "Taming the ‘new wild west’: how biometrics can help the ECB deliver a secure digital euro") that use simple photos and one type of biometrics on its own to authenticate people. Knowing this limitation, fraudsters will falselyclaim their biometrics methods are broken just to circumvent the authentication process.

- **Appropriate or inappropriate friction**

While most [businesses aim to offer consumers](https://www.financedigest.com/citigroup-says-will-close-russian-consumer-commercial-business.html "Citigroup says will close Russian consumer, commercial business") a friction free process, there are some cases where friction is needed. Depending on when biometrics is used, it can add unnecessary friction to the consumer journey. In certain situations, like opening a new [bank account](https://www.financedigest.com/new-legislation-makes-switching-bank-accounts-simples.html "New legislation makes switching bank accounts “simples”"), consumers understand that they will need to verify their identity, so using biometrics here is an appropriate authentication method. However, if a facial ID is required each time, you [buy something from an online retailer](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-next-buys-failed-furniture-retailer-made-com-400-jobs-axed.html "Britain’s Next buys failed furniture retailer Made.com, 400 jobs axed"), you’ll likely take your business to another vendor where it is easier and faster to make a purchase.

- **Privacy**

Technology usually becomes ubiquitous when consumers understand how and why it’s used. For example, a Facial ID is used on many [modern smartphones to access apps and services on the phone](https://www.financedigest.com/top-10-retro-phone-features-we-would-like-to-see-in-modern-smartphones.html "Top 10 retro phone features we would like to see in modern smartphones"). The concept of biometrics as a unique identifier is well understood by consumers, but perhaps not well enough. Biometrics as a form of authentication is intrusive, as it often [ends up invading people’s](https://www.financedigest.com/5-common-ways-people-end-up-in-debt-without-realising.html "5 Common Ways People End Up In Debt Without Realising") privacy. Biometrics uses Personally Identifiable Information (PII), so permission is required to collect, store and process this in many countries. As a result, most people will choose not to authenticate themselveswith this form of identification because they will want to know how their data is being used. This [challenge is potentially the biggest barrier to a large-scale adoption](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-the-future-challengers-leading-the-way-to-cloud-adoption.html "Bank of the future – challengers leading the way to cloud adoption") of biometrics as authentication methods.

So, with these issues in mind, what tools can we rely on to seamlessly authenticate people online? The answer lies with **_behavioral_** biometrics.

Behavioral biometrics (such as how someone holds and swipes on their phone, types in their password, or moves a mouse on computer) provides privacy preserving, frictionless, accessible, and inclusive methods to authenticate users in robust and failsafe ways.

So, what exactly differentiates behavioral biometrics and why is it vastly superior to physical biometrics? What makes them ideal for governments, regulators and businesses desperately trying to balance [security and user experience](https://www.financedigest.com/digital-experience-and-security-the-crucial-combination-for-banks.html "Digital experience and security – the crucial combination for banks")?

- **Technology equity**

Unlike physical biometrics, behavioral biometrics works across multiple devices and machines. Users only need a basic smartphone, keyboard or a mouse, so the cost of highly specialized technology is not a barrier for adoption. Behavioral biometrics profiles are also device agnostic. This is useful if a [consumer loses their phone and needs to re-register for online services](https://www.financedigest.com/do-consumers-want-robo-advisory-services.html "DO CONSUMERS WANT ROBO-ADVISORY SERVICES?"). Even though it’s a new device, a consumer can [download all their apps](https://www.financedigest.com/40000-downloads-of-e-money-app-devere-vault-by-end-of-2017.html "40,000+ downloads of e-money app deVere Vault by end of 2017") and get going straight away because their behavior remains exactly the same. Whereas with physical biometrics, the user will [need to re-enroll for the biometrics service](https://www.financedigest.com/the-financial-services-industry-needs-to-get-serious-about-cyber-security-in-the-covid-19-era.html "The financial services industry needs to get serious about cyber security in the Covid-19 era") by repeating the registration process, so taking facial biometrics at different angles of the users face.

- **Contextual data**

Behavioral biometrics [considers millions of contextual data points](https://www.financedigest.com/three-points-to-consider-when-getting-engaged.html "Three Points To Consider When Getting Engaged") to verify if the user is genuine. So, while a user and their device might be in an unusual location – on vacation for example – how they swipe on their phone can be used to accurately identify who they are.  Layering [intelligence from multiple sources means there isn’t a single point](https://www.financedigest.com/new-intelligence-points-to-pro-ukraine-group-in-nord-stream-attack-nyt.html "New intelligence points to pro-Ukraine group in Nord Stream attack -NYT") of failure in the authentication process when using behavioral biometrics. As an added bonus, while behavioral biometrics looks for characteristics of genuine users, it can also recognize typical fraudster behaviors encountered previously – perhaps simultaneous login attempts on multiple devices.

Suddenly, you’ve now got fraud behavioral patterns, for example it’s unusual for genuine [consumers to copy and paste their email address or password in an authentication](https://www.financedigest.com/consumers-in-the-covid-era-can-learn-to-embrace-strong-customer-authentication.html "Consumers in the COVID era can learn to embrace strong customer authentication") process.

- **Friction free**

Behavioral biometrics is passive, which [means it doesn’t](https://www.financedigest.com/making-sure-that-finservs-digital-transformation-doesnt-mean-digital-exclusion.html "Making sure that FinServ’s digital transformation doesn’t mean digital exclusion") add friction to the user journey. [Data such as typing speed and pressure when inputting a username and password are analyzed in real](https://www.financedigest.com/your-real-risk-appetite-could-be-hidden-in-your-unstructured-data.html "Your real risk appetite could be hidden in your unstructured data") time during an online journey, which means no extra steps are required as with physical biometrics. This makes behavioral biometrics useful at any point in the consumer’s journey, whether at the time of login or downstream when they are making purchases or payments.

Therefore, rather than a [customer having to complete a step-up authentication](https://www.financedigest.com/how-strong-customer-authentication-can-prevent-cart-abandonment.html "How Strong Customer Authentication can Prevent Cart Abandonment") with friction, the user would be passively authenticated by simply using the service ‘as is’ today… removing the need for unnecessary friction.

- **Robust security**

While it is possible for a fraudster to steal physical biometrics for their own use, it is much harder for bad actors to replicate and mimic genuine user behaviors. The [way an individual interacts with their devices online](https://www.financedigest.com/best-ways-to-make-money-online.html "Best ways to make money online") is unique, and if the behavior doesn’t match the consumer’s usual patterns (for example typing with one finger) additional authentication methods can be introduced.

- **Prevent the privacy tsunami**

By its very nature, behavioral [biometrics can be a privacy](https://www.financedigest.com/biometric-payments-and-safeguarding-privacy.html "Biometric payments and safeguarding privacy") preserving, non-intrusive way to authenticate users. Using the contextual data points of a consumer’s behavior, the data can be obfuscated thus allowing the identity of the user to be authenticated without knowing or accessing any PII data, thus preventing the privacy tsunami that is clearly just beginning.

When considering the points above, it’s easy to see why behavioral biometrics are a better authentication method than their physical counterparts to fix [digital identity](https://www.financedigest.com/why-an-orchestrated-digital-identity-strategy-is-vital-for-financial-organisations-in-fighting-fraud.html "Why an orchestrated digital identity strategy is vital for financial organisations in fighting fraud"). The technology itself is easy for consumers, businesses and governments to use, but more importantly, once consumers understand that behavioral biometrics doesn’t use or store their [personal data](https://www.financedigest.com/five-ways-to-keep-your-personal-data-safe-from-hackers.html "Five ways to keep your personal data safe from hackers"), we’ll see far less adoption hesitancy.


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