Standford University Biometrics and Global Identity Discussion
Discussion: Biometrics and Global Identity
Discussion: Biometrics and Global Identity
The convenience and availability of cloud services has seen a dramatic increase in business functionality being shifted from local servers to the cloud. Even our biometrics may be stored in the cloud.
Assume your employer has signed up with a global authentication provider that stores user fingerprints in the users’ global identity accounts. Users can then use their biometric fingerprint from the cloud service to access websites rather than storing the fingerprint locally on their mobile device or computer.
In theory, if an attacker gains access to your fingerprints (whether stored locally or in the cloud), they could compromise any of your online accounts that accept your fingerprints.
Answer the following question(s):
- Is the storage of biometric data safer locally or in the cloud? Why?
- If an attacker has your fingerprints, could multifactor authentication (MFA) still prevent the attacker from gaining access to your accounts? Why or why not?
