Biometric data obtained from selfies, forged passports, and cyberattacks on data stores holding everything from fingerprints to DNA have become popular commodities on the dark web. These untraceable yet powerful data enable attackers to access valuable information and carry out sophisticated attacks. However, current approaches to protecting biometric data are falling short.
Growing Concerns and Barriers to Adoption
The use of biometric authentication offers unique advantages over other credential-based methods, but concerns about novel attacks and privacy have hindered its widespread adoption, according to a study by Gartner. The study states that there are increasing worries about AI-enabled deepfake attacks that could undermine the effectiveness of biometric authentication.
“Concerns are growing about AI-enabled deepfake attacks that could undermine biometric authentication or render it worthless.” – Gartner
The Proliferation of Deepfake and Biometrics-based Attacks
Last year, Zscaler CEO Jay Chaudhry revealed that an attacker had created and launched a deepfake of his voice to extort funds from the company’s operations in India. VentureBeat has uncovered numerous instances of deepfake and biometrics-based breach attempts against leading cybersecurity companies in the past year. In fact, these attacks have become so prevalent that the Department of Homeland Security has provided a guide on countering them called “Increasing Threats of Deepfake Identities.”
C-level Executives as Primary Targets
CEOs and members of senior management are the primary targets for biometric and deepfake attacks. Statistics from Ivanti’s State of Security Preparedness 2023 Report reveal that C-level executives are four times more likely to fall victim to phishing scams than other employees. Whale phishing, a form of targeted phishing, has become a major digital epidemic affecting thousands of companies.
The Need for Enhanced Security Standards
In anticipation of the rising threats, there will be a heightened demand for more rigorous security standards, privacy measures, and interconnectedness in 2024. Organizations must ensure they have the right infrastructure in place to enable the connectivity that employees expect, according to Srinivas Mukkamala, Chief Product Officer at Ivanti.
“In 2024, there will be heightened demand for more rigorous standards focused on security, privacy, device interaction, and making our society more interconnected. The expectation to connect everywhere, on any device, will only increase. Organizations need to make sure they have the right infrastructure in place to enable this everywhere connectedness that employees expect.” – Srinivas Mukkamala, Chief Product Officer at Ivanti
Badge Inc.’s Innovative Approach to Biometric Security
Badge Inc., a company founded with the mission to solve authentication problems, has recently announced the availability of its patented authentication technology that renders personal identity information (PII) and biometric credential storage obsolete. Their approach eliminates the need for passwords, device redirects, and knowledge-based authentication (KBA).
Enabling Zero Trust and Multi-Factor Authentication
Badge’s technology allows for user-centric authentication across devices without storing any secrets, making individuals their own roots of trust. By deriving private keys on-the-fly using biometrics and chosen factors, Badge provides privacy-preserving authentication to every application on any device. This approach enforces zero trust principles and strengthens least privilege access.
Badge’s Role in Zero-Trust Architecture
Badge’s technology not only provides data privacy but also offers resistance against future threats such as quantum attacks. As a result, it complements zero-trust architectures and can be integrated into broader Identity and Access Management (IAM) platforms and technology stacks. Its recent partnerships with Okta and Auth0 further validate its importance in the cybersecurity landscape.
“Badge has a compelling technology to address both consumer and enterprise use cases.” – Jeremy Grant, former senior executive advisor at NIST
