PayPal Suggests Biometric Identification Will One Day 'Kill All Passwords'

A login mechanism you could eat, digital tattoos and vein recognition could be among the biometric identification mechanisms that help protect corporate data in the future, according to Jonathan LeBlanc, PayPal’s global head of developer advocacy.

In a presentation that was made publicly available on SlideShare, LeBlanc outlines a series of biometric identification possibilities that could, as he puts it, “kill all passwords.” He goes well beyond mere fingerprint scanning or facial recognition tools to explore sensors embedded under the skin or ingestible authentication devices that could later be destroyed by stomach acid.

As farfetched as some of these ideas may seem, LeBlanc explained in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that almost anything would be better than the type of easily detected passwords used to secure computer systems today. On the other hand, he said the presentation was intended to merely spark discussion, not to suggest PayPal was coming out with biometric identification tools anytime soon.

As with other security standards, it may be that the industry will develop the next generation of biometric identification in a collaborative fashion. Wired UK pointed out that PayPal and others are already members of the Fast Identity Online Alliance, which is working on a range of specifications to securely authenticate users. There have also been partnerships between security vendors such as Kaspersky Lab and hacking collectives such as BioNyfiken to work on joint solutions.

The big question is whether the average individual would be comfortable with credentials that are stored inside their bodies, rather than using identifiers that are simply digitally read by a piece of hardware. A story on TechWorld pointed to Halifax Bank, which is reportedly tying authentication into heart-monitoring systems as a way for some customers to gain access to their accounts. Still, although smartwatches and smart eyewear are poised to hit the mainstream in 2015, this would take wearables to a whole new level.

These various forms of biometric identification are still up for debate, but even the most die-hard cybercriminals would probably agree they will work more effectively than “123456,” which The Telegraph noted was the most popular password of the past year.

Image Source: iStock

Shane Schick

Writer & Editor

When ransomware kills: Attacks on healthcare facilities

4 min read - As ransomware attacks continue to escalate, their toll is often measured in data loss and financial strain. But what about the loss of human life? Nowhere is the ransomware threat more acute than in the healthcare sector, where patients’ lives are literally on the line.Since 2015, there has been a staggering increase in ransomware attacks on healthcare facilities. And the impacts are severe: Diverted emergency services, delayed critical treatments and even fatalities. Meanwhile, the pledge some ransomware groups made during…

AI and cloud vulnerabilities aren’t the only threats facing CISOs today

6 min read - With cloud infrastructure and, more recently, artificial intelligence (AI) systems becoming prime targets for attackers, security leaders are laser-focused on defending these high-profile areas. They’re right to do so, too, as cyber criminals turn to new and emerging technologies to launch and scale ever more sophisticated attacks.However, this heightened attention to emerging threats makes it easy to overlook traditional attack vectors, such as human-driven social engineering and vulnerabilities in physical security.As adversaries exploit an ever-wider range of potential entry points…

4 trends in software supply chain security

4 min read - Some of the biggest and most infamous cyberattacks of the past decade were caused by a security breakdown in the software supply chain. SolarWinds was probably the most well-known, but it was not alone. Incidents against companies like Equifax and tools like MOVEit also wreaked havoc for organizations and customers whose sensitive information was compromised.Expect to see more software supply chain attacks moving forward. According to ReversingLabs' The State of Software Supply Chain Security 2024 study, attacks against the software…

Security Intelligence

{{title}}

{{title}}

{{title}}

Topics

More from

When ransomware kills: Attacks on healthcare facilities

AI and cloud vulnerabilities aren’t the only threats facing CISOs today

4 trends in software supply chain security

Topic updates