Authentication: The Biometrics Advantage

Interview with Myra Gray, Director, U.S. Army Biometrics Task Force Though fingerprint and iris scans have advantages over passwords and magnetic identity cards as a means to grant access to IT systems, in many instances, the biometric technologies aren't ready to be employed alone, says Myra Gray, director of the U.S. Army's Biometrics Task Force. "Actually, it's an outstanding method for good, strong identity assurance," Gray said in an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com. "But before we go throwing out passwords and usernames, I'd like to articulate that biometrics is one tool of many. It should be part of the portfolio that's used to protect against identity theft." Gray explained that three things exist to prove ones identity: What you know, such as a password; what you have, a magnetic card or token; and what you are - "something that's uniquely you" - an iris, a fingerprint "The power, it not just picking one over other, but setting up a construct that utilizes all of those as appropriate" Gray said. "You probably don't need all three of those to buy coffee at the 7-Eleven. but if you were to get into a super-secure facility somewhere, you may very well want to substantiate a methodology to getting into that facility that utilize all three of those methods: What you are, what you have and what you know." In the interview, with GovInfoSecurity.com Managing Editor Eric Chabrow, Gray discusses the: Mission of the Biometrics Task Force, charged with coordinating biometrics use and development throughout the military; Biometric technologies employed on the battlefield and to combat cyber terrorism; and Synergies between biometrics used by U.S. fighting forces and those to secure government IT assets. The Biometrics Task Forces leads Department of Defense activities to program, integrate, and synchronize biometric technologies and capabilities and to operate and maintain DoD's authoritative biometric database to support the national security strategy. Gray, who has headed the task force since July 2007, also serves as executive manager of DoD biometrics. She joined the Defense Department 24 years ago as a Naval mathematician, rising through the ranks, with her last position as assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology in the Future Force Integration Office. She holds a doctorate in research and engineering management from Southeastern Institute of Technology in Huntsville, Ala. � � � GovInfoSecurity.com last month interviewed Lisa Swan, deputy director of the Biometrics Task Force. Click here to listen to Biometrics: From Kabul to Washington, the podcast interview with Swan.