Strong Password or Biometric Authentication: Which One is Better for Mobile Security?

Have you ever been hacked? According to statistics approximately 3.8 million records are exposed by hackers every day. Though state authorities and enterprises pour a huge amount of funds into providing digital protection, in 95% of all cases, data breaches happen due to human error.

Unfortunately, in this global system of cybersecurity, a human is a weak link. The reason is simple: we use weak passwords, we reuse our credentials on multiple accounts and don’t bother about the protection of our digital identities. But do we still have a chance to keep the integrity of our data? Yes, if we follow the simple digital hygiene rules. And using strong passwords and biometric authentication are the essential points.

However, there is a debate on which method to secure mobile devices is better. In this article, we will discuss the importance of passwords and biometric authentication for mobile security and provide insights on how to benefit from both.

The Importance of Passwords and Biometric Authentication for Mobile Security

Without proper security measures, mobile devices are vulnerable to various risks:

• data theft
• unauthorized access
• and malware attacks

Considering the fact that we keep massive amounts of sensitive data on our devices (contacts, emails, banking credentials, photos, etc.) we need some methods to minimize the risk of getting this information falling into the wrong hands.

Passwords and biometric authentication are two crucial methods used to protect mobile devices from unauthorized access and loss of data. A strong password can prevent hackers from gaining access to sensitive information, while biometric authentication uses unique physical or behavioral characteristics such as fingerprints or facial recognition to verify a user's identity. And now, in more detail.

Strong Passwords

What password do you have? Let us guess. This is some dictionary word (or your name) with your birth date. How do you think, how long will it take for a hacker to guess it? The average time of hacking an 8-character password with 1 number is around half an hour. So, the more common words and phrases you use in your password the lesser time it will take a cybercriminal to hack it.

A strong password should be difficult for others to guess and should include a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. The best practice is to use a password manager tool that generates and stores passwords for you. You will be able to create a combination that is impossible to guess and have storage to keep it with no risk to lose.

The next important point is to use a unique password for each account to prevent attackers from accessing multiple accounts with a single password. No matter, how strong your password is, if you use it to log in to your social network account, online banking, and some other service, you risk losing access to all of them at once. Thus, password complexity and randomness are two pillars of personal cyber security.

Biometric Authentication

A strong and unique password is a good method, but what are the alternatives? Biometric authentication is. It is a security process that uses unique physical or behavioral characteristics to verify a user's identity. This can include:

• fingerprints
• facial recognition
• voice recognition
• iris scans.

Biometric authentication is considered to be safer because it is harder to steal or replicate someone's unique physical or behavioral traits. If passwords can be forgotten or stolen, biometric data is unique to every user and cannot be replicated. This makes biometric authentication a reliable and secure method for accessing mobile devices and other apps.

The next important thing about biometric authentication is its ease of use. Most modern mobile device manufacturers offer fingerprint or facial recognition methods to unlock their devices. So you don’t need to type your password every time you take your phone in your hands. By using biometric authentication, individuals can protect their personal and sensitive information and ensure that only authorized users can access their mobile devices and other applications.

The Limitations of Biometric Authentication

The advantages of biometric authentication are obvious. And what about limitations? Biometric authentication itself can’t guarantee 100% security as it can be subject to hacking, spoofing, and other attacks. Hackers can potentially steal your biometric data or threaten physical violence to gain unauthorized access to your mobile devices. Additionally, there is the possibility of false positives and false negatives, where the system mistakenly identifies or fails to identify the user.

Using Both Strong Passwords and Biometric Authentication

To ensure maximum mobile security, it is recommended to use both authentication methods: strong passwords and biometry. Biometric authentication provides an added layer of security and convenience, while strong passwords offer a basic layer of protection against potential threats. By using both methods together, users can greatly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to their mobile devices and other applications.

Moreover, it is crucially important to regularly update passwords, biometric data, and software. Application updates released by manufacturers are aimed to improve security algorithms and implement advanced encryption techniques, TFA, or other security features to protect users' data and privacy.

Mobile Device Manufacturers and App Developers

Reliable mobile device manufacturers and app developers usually prioritize users’ privacy and protection. So, they use strong safety measures and advanced encryption techniques to secure data transmissions and storage, implement two-factor authentication and biometric authentication for login, and regularly test their systems for vulnerabilities. Additionally, they provide clear and concise privacy policies and obtain user consent before accessing or sharing their personal data.

In summary, mobile device manufacturers and app developers have a crucial role to play in ensuring the security and privacy of users' data. By implementing strong security measures, regularly updating systems, and following best practices, they can help protect users from potential threats and minimize the risk of unauthorized access to personal and sensitive information.

Conclusion

In conclusion, strong passwords and biometric authentication are both crucial for mobile security. A strong password should include a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and users should have a different password for each account. Biometric authentication provides an added layer of security that is more difficult to replicate or steal.

Regular updates and software upgrades are also essential to maintain mobile security. Users should regularly update their passwords, biometric data, and software to prevent unauthorized access to their sensitive data. Mobile device manufacturers and app developers, for their part, should provide regular updates to fix vulnerabilities and bugs. By taking these measures, we can minimize the risk of unauthorized access to personal and sensitive information and keep our mobile devices and data secure.