Biometric Authentication solving Data Breach problems

CardLab’s biometric authentication system enhances on-line safety by eliminating conventional passwords and permits safe entry via distinctive fingerprint verification, considerably decreasing the danger of knowledge breaches and account takeover.

In an period of escalating cyber threats, conventional authentication strategies like passwords and PINs are more and more weak to assaults. A latest case involving the theft of an engineer’s password database has highlighted the dangers related to password-based authentication. In the meantime, information breach stories point out a staggering 312percent¹ annual improve in information breach incidents that would have been prevented with stronger safety measures.

CardLab’s biometric verification and Authentication as a Service present a cutting-edge resolution, guaranteeing safe entry management whereas mitigating dangers related to centralised password storage, phishing assaults, and stolen credentials. This text explores one real-world use case demonstrating how CardLab’s ‘Authentication as a Service’ resolution primarily based on a biometric card can stop a knowledge breach or account hack.

Understanding the safety hole

The standard method to digital safety depends on passwords, two-factor authentication (2FA), and centralised credential storage. Nevertheless, this technique has inherent weaknesses:

• Weak or reused passwords – Many customers depend on easy, repetitive passwords, making them simple targets for brute-force or credential-stuffing assaults.
• Phishing and social engineering – Attackers trick customers into revealing credentials, bypassing conventional safety obstacles.
• Centralised credential repositories – Even password managers, whereas providing enhanced safety, could be compromised, offering a gap for an attacker to realize entry to the encrypted vault or backup information.
• SIM swap and OTP bypass – SMS-based 2FA and even app-based authentication could be intercepted and circumvented via social engineering or malware assaults.

The answer? An entire offline biometric consumer verification on an offline, user-controlled verification machine that doesn’t depend on saved passwords or centrally saved biometric information. As well as, tokenisation of the consumer identification, as soon as verified, ensures that no private information could be extracted from a ‘man within the center assault’ or misplaced or an worker releases a set of passwords by mistake. Static passwords now not exist within the CardLab setup, and what doesn’t exist can’t be misplaced or copied.

How CardLab’s biometric system and card works

CardLab’s biometric ‘Authentication as a Service’ resolution primarily based on a biometric sensible card, is designed to supply high-security consumer verification for each bodily and logical entry. It verifies consumer identification offline, in opposition to a fingerprint saved securely on the cardboard itself, by no means transmitting biometric information over a community. When the consumer is verified, the cardboard creates a token for on-line use. The token is utilized in a verification course of within the backend earlier than permitting entry to the specified utility. This decentralised method with offline consumer verification and tokenisation ensures most safety and privateness.

The sensor on the cardboard, by Fingerprints, provides a strong resolution to information breach issues via biometric authentication. By utilising distinctive fingerprint patterns, the sensor ensures that solely authorised people can entry delicate info, considerably decreasing the danger of unauthorised entry and information breaches. Not like conventional passwords, which could be simply shared or stolen, biometric information is exclusive to every particular person and can’t be replicated or transferred. This non-transferability provides an additional layer of safety, making it a lot more durable for malicious actors to realize entry to protected methods. Moreover, their sensor’s superior encryption know-how additional safeguards consumer information, guaranteeing that it stays protected always. With its quick and dependable efficiency, Fingerprints’ sensor not solely enhances safety but in addition improves usability, permitting for handy and safe entry to bodily and digital methods.

Utilisation

Right here’s how the CardLab card can be utilized to stop an account hack or information breach:

1. Person enrolment and setup
   o The consumer registers their fingerprint instantly on the cardboard through the on-card fingerprint sensor.

o    The biometric information is securely saved inside the card’s safe reminiscence and can’t be extracted or cloned.

o    The cardboard doesn’t require an web connection for enrolment, eliminating publicity to distant hacking makes an attempt and aspect channel assaults throughout this doubtlessly weak section.

2. Safe consumer verification on the cardboard
   o When accessing an internet service (e.g., cloud storage, company intranet, or a banking portal), the consumer presents the cardboard to a suitable NFC or Bluetooth reader.

o   The system prompts the consumer to position their finger on the cardboard’s fingerprint sensor.

o    If the fingerprint matches the saved template, the cardboard confirms the consumer’s identification internally.

o    This step happens offline, guaranteeing biometric information by no means leaves the cardboard.

3. Authentication on the backend
   o As soon as the cardboard verifies the consumer, it generates a token/cryptographic signature distinctive to the authentication request.

o    This signature is distributed to the service supplier for backend authentication, finishing a safe passwordless login.

o    A connection is required at this stage to speak with the authentication server. The connection could be through contact chip, NFC, BLE or guide utilizing info proven on the Defender card show.

o    CardLab’s QuardLock backend is accessible to supply this Authentication as a Service.

4. Changing Weak Password-Based mostly
   Authentication is a key component to extend information safety, and with the CardLab verification and authentication resolution, the next benefits are achieved:
   o The consumer now not wants to recollect or enter passwords.

o    Even when an attacker steals a consumer’s laptop computer or smartphone, they can not log in with out the cardboard and the proper fingerprint.

o    Not like password managers, which retailer and autofill credentials, the cardboard itself acts as the one verification mechanism.

o    The consumer all the time has a login machine – the usage of Smartphones is commonly restricted or prohibited because of espionage and safety considerations.

5. Bodily entry and multi-use safety
   o The cardboard can be used for constructing entry management, guaranteeing solely authorised personnel enter restricted areas.

o    The identical verification mechanism applies, requiring each the bodily card and biometric verification for entry.

o    Organisations can combine the cardboard into current entry management methods with out further infrastructure modifications.

6. Safety in opposition to phishing and credential theft
   o Not like conventional authentication strategies that depend on consumer enter, the biometric card doesn’t expose credentials to phishing makes an attempt, because it operates completely offline throughout consumer verification.

o    Even when an attacker tips the consumer into visiting a pretend login web page, the cardboard won’t transmit reusable credentials. Each login would require a brand new token to be accepted.

o    Since authentication is cryptographically linked to the service, attackers can’t intercept or replay login information, and even when they might, it will be of no worth as it’s tokenised information that can’t be reused.

7. Decentralised safety and information privateness
   o No biometric information is saved on exterior servers or transmitted throughout verification, decreasing publicity to mass information breaches and lack of credentials and related vital biometric information.

o    The cardboard operates independently of cloud-based authentication providers, stopping unauthorised entry even when backend methods are compromised.

o    Not like SIM-based authentication, the cardboard can’t be hijacked through SIM swap fraud.

Use case: Stopping an enterprise information breach

Think about a multinational company, Healthcare platform, authorities workplace/ establishment, legislation agency, financial institution or comparable enterprise that manages delicate buyer/shopper info, proprietary analysis, operation of vital infrastructure, and so on. These actors beforehand relied on password-based logins and SMS-based 2FA however confronted a rise in phishing makes an attempt and credential theft.

Earlier than implementing CardLab’s Biometric Card:

• Staff sometimes reused passwords throughout a number of accounts.
• In a latest, well-publicised phishing attack², an worker was efficiently tricked into revealing their login credentials, granting attackers unauthorised entry to confidential information or injection of malware.
• Regardless of having an OTP-based 2FA system, an attacker executed a SIM swap assault, bypassing SMS authentication.

Had this organisation Carried out CardLab’s Biometric authentication resolution:

• Staff might solely confirm their identification utilizing their fingerprint-stored biometric card, making passwords dynamic and saving IT price on password upkeep.
• Even when an attacker obtained an worker’s login credentials, they’d not be capable of entry the account with out the biometric card.
• Phishing assaults would turn out to be ineffective, as authentication is tied to the cryptographic proof generated by the cardboard.
• The organisation would considerably scale back safety breaches and enhance regulatory compliance.
• The organisation might mix the tokenised login with a requirement for tokenised verification of the consumer earlier than enabling any encryption of knowledge or laptop methods. This might block malware and ransomware assaults.

Conclusion: The way forward for safe verification and authentication

Cybersecurity threats will proceed to evolve, however CardLab’s Entry and Defender collection of biometric sensible playing cards present a future-proof authentication resolution by eliminating the dangers related to passwords and central credential storage. By guaranteeing that consumer verification happens solely offline on the cardboard and authentication occurs securely on the backend, customers and organisations acquire enhanced safety, comfort, privateness, and saved IT prices in an more and more digital world.

With widespread adoption, biometric sensible playing cards can successfully eradicate information breaches and account hacks and takeovers, providing a extremely safe different to conventional authentication strategies. For enterprises, governments, and people, CardLab’s resolution represents the following step in safe identification verification, guaranteeing that solely the rightful proprietor has entry to vital methods and delicate information.

References

1. https://www.databreachtoday.com/312-surge-in-breach-notices-that-could-have-been-prevented-a-27397?rf=2025-01-30_ENEWS_ACQ_DBT__Slot1_ART27397&mkt_tok=MDUxLVpYSS0yMzcAAAGYV0bFSCKDaGMOgmj160CJsmfg6xgTrsZtboH13nMzMMd-3vUYf4JXxb2v7rWFS7_1QYZLzwylxPXbXOG9DTSJl-MsFRawPbLMCcDzOs874ZX_ZArq2Q
2. https://www.zdnet.com/article/hackers-stole-this-engineers-1password-database-could-it-happen-to-you/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_12746109

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