Face recognition apps are everywhere. Most government agencies use them in one way or the other. People who own the latest iPhones use it too. However, most don’t know this type of software features many risks. So, how can you combine face recognition with cybersecurity?
Weighing the risks and benefits of face recognition is a must. At the same time, seeing whether you can opt out of using it with the devices you have is necessary to follow cybersecurity best practices. However, it’s important to recognize that everyone will be affected by face recognition soon.
Many people find face recognition an invasion of privacy, especially if it’s the default option on most devices. Both governments and companies are using it for good and bad purposes. For that reason, it’s important to understand what face recognition is, how it works, and the risks and rewards it brings.
- What’s Face Recognition?
- How Does Face Recognition Work?
- Is Face Recognition Secure?
- 5 Risks of Face Recognition
- 5 Benefits of Face Recognition
- Should You Use Face Recognition Software?
- What Are the Uses of Face Recognition?
- Will Face Recognition Replace Passwords?
- Face Recognition Cybersecurity Best Practices
- Has Face Recognition Been Breached Before?
- Conclusion
What’s Face Recognition?
Face recognition is a way to use biometric data to authenticate a user. Most people use it to unlock their phones or log into their bank accounts, though other companies and organizations use it for other objectives.
You’re using face recognition software when you stare at your phone to unlock it. At the same time, certain companies use face recognition to see who’s walking around their store to surveil their business.
It all relies on biometric recognition, and your face isn’t the only element that can come into play.
Other Ways of Biometric Recognition Include:
- Eye Recognition
- Fingerprint Recognition
- Voice Recognition
How Does Face Recognition Work?
Face recognition works in two ways.
The most common way people think about it is using it to unlock their phones or similar. In that case, you provide a picture or pictures to a company and their facial recognition software comes up with patterns to identify you.
The second way is a little mischievous. Governments and companies take pictures and videos from anywhere they can (e.g., surveillance cameras, social media, and more) to create a database. AI scans that database and recognizes your face from there. Face recognition plays a big part in China’s social score.
Is Face Recognition Secure?
Face recognition is as safe as it sounds: hackers can’t log in to your device if you use it, though they can steal your biometric data from the company that stores it. It’s a 50-50 situation with as many risks as benefits possible.
Using face recognition to log in to your bank account adds a very strong layer of security around your information. However, that doesn’t mean everything is safe from harm. A hacker could, theoretically speaking, steal your biometric data from the banks’ database.
Simply put, face recognition has as many risks as it has rewards.
5 Risks of Face Recognition
1. People Only Have One Set of Biometric Data
It’s easy to reset your password in a few minutes. Changing bank login credentials takes a little longer, though you can still do so, even if it’s a more tedious process. That’s pretty much step one when you suffer a data breach.
However, what can you do when a company leaks your biometric data? You can’t get a new face in five minutes (and we doubt most will want to get cosmetic surgery because the bank didn’t store their information securely).
It’s a one strike and you’re out kind of deal when we talk about face recognition and data breaches.
2. Threat Actors Can Cause Devastating Data Breaches
Have you ever wondered what a hacker can do if they manage to get your biometric data?
We’ve seen a handful of biometric data breaches in the past – and that number will grow as companies start making face recognition their go-to way of authenticating users.
Fortunately, hackers can’t access your locked devices, even if they have your biometric data, though we must think about how long will threat actors take to do real damage with that.
Nothing is impossible to hack – and you have to create cybersecurity guidelines around that truth.
3. Users May Give Away Their Image Without Knowing
You often agree with terms and conditions when you use software. Face recognition is no exception. You may authorize a company to use your picture for whatever they want when you do so.
At the same time, not giving your consent wouldn’t stop hackers from doing what they want with it too. If a breach happens, what will happen to your biometric data? Remember, you can’t reset that information – because you can’t change your face or fingerprints.
4. Companies May Not Have the User’s Best Interest in Mind
It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think companies use your pictures to their advantage. Combine that with the third item on this list and you have a real problem.
Companies may be using your picture for things we don’t yet know – and it wouldn’t be the first time big business bends copyright law to favor them.
Why would companies want to use your face? Well, to train their algorithms. You have to improve your recognition software somehow – and governments often fund that effort.
5. Governments May Use It to Oppress People
The social credit score is a sensitive topic. It’s already a given in countries like China. People are actively fighting against it in places like the European Union – and it’s not difficult to understand why.
Mass surveillance is not a good thing, especially from a cybersecurity perspective. The main gist of informational security is protecting your data from third parties, whether companies, governments, or threat actors.
For that reason, choosing to use face recognition is okay; having governments strong-arm it into people’s daily lives? Not so much.
However, face recognition has some perks – and that’s why people choose it willingly.
5 Benefits of Face Recognition
1. Users Find It Convenient
It’s not rare for users to reset their password or come up with a new combination because the one they want was leaked or used before. It’s tough to create a password that follows best practices, though it’s always a must – unless you want to reset it again.
However, using face recognition software to unlock your devices is a quick and easy fix to the password problem. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you’ll stop using passwords. For example, when you use it on your phone, you still need a passcode, just in case.
2. Hackers Can’t Brute Force It
Speaking of passwords, threat actors are becoming better at social engineering and cracking. That means it won’t be long until complex passwords fall prey to a hacker. You’re one brute force attack from a data breach if you’re using simple passcodes today.
In contrast, a threat actor can’t brute force biometric data. In fact, experts are trying to bypass this type of authentication but can’t. We don’t know how long that trend will last, but you can enjoy it in the meantime.
3. Developers Can Easily Integrate It
It’s not difficult for developers to integrate facial recognition into already-existing pieces of software and hardware. Think about phones: how easy was it to integrate this type of software into it – and how easy was it for people to use it?
Almost nobody had trouble with using facial recognition, so it means developers didn’t lose time by releasing that feature. At the same time, this feature can become widespread: it can help you with user authentication, onboarding, and many more things.
4. AI Deals With Facial Changes
How do you think face recognition deals with time? Everyone ages as time goes on, so wondering whether AI can deal with that and continue to recognize your face is a good idea.
Fortunately, most developers had thought about the aging process when they created face recognition software. That means you’ll continue to age and your device will continue to recognize you.
At the same time, it means companies will continue to know who you are as time goes on.
5. Companies Know It’s Affordable
Software often costs a lot early on, though that changes as time goes by. Face recognition software is becoming more affordable – and companies know it.
At the same time, they know the many benefits this type of software has for their business. Sure, users employ face recognition to unlock a device or similar, but companies use it for marketing purposes and many more things.
You could argue that face recognition benefits companies more than users, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it.
Should You Use Face Recognition Software?
It’d be wise to avoid face recognition software for now, especially free facial recognition software, as it may not be as secure as one would hope. That doesn’t make this type of software dangerous! However, it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
Right now, hackers are having a hard time breaching face recognition. They have a few ways to fool algorithms, though it’s hard for them to do real damage (as they would, for example, brute forcing a password).
That doesn’t mean face recognition is impossible to hack or crack. It means hackers need a little extra time to exploit every vulnerability. So, it’s better to be patient until we have a clear-cut way of knowing what goes on (and what’s the worst that could happen).
What Are the Uses of Face Recognition?
- Unlocking Devices. One of the most widespread uses of face recognition is unlocking devices. You could use your face to unlock your phone, car, or similar. Of course, that has lots of risks, but most people don’t mind since it’s a convenient way to do so.
- Accessing Information. Tying your face to your data may be dangerous – but it also brings many benefits. Medical providers, financial institutions, and similar companies are using biometrics to streamline access to information. That way, there’s less room for error and shorter waiting times.
- Finding People. As you now know, face recognition software doesn’t stay with one photo. Instead, it creates a model out of it and can figure out how someone will look in the future. It’s easier to find missing people thanks to that feature, even if a long time has passed since someone disappeared.
- Law Enforcement. Face recognition helps law enforcement officers from multiple branches do their job. From local police officers getting help to recognize criminals on the loose to Homeland Security having an easier time doing their job on borders.
Will Face Recognition Replace Passwords?
Face recognition will not replace passwords, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be the go-to choice to unlock devices and information soon, making passwords seem outdated. However, security specialists will push to keep passwords, as it’s the most balanced login credential.
Any security expert has to think about worst-case scenarios. When it comes to passwords, a leak is a worst-case scenario. What do you do then? You reset your password and carry on with your day.
What happens when someone hacks your biometric data? You can’t reset it and carry on with your day then. For that reason, most companies will implement face recognition to unlock many things – but will continue to use passwords as a failsafe mechanism.
Face Recognition Cybersecurity Best Practices
- Avoid widespread use. Face recognition is relatively new, and new stuff tends to be ridden with vulnerabilities. For that reason, it’d be better to opt out of certain things until we know how vulnerable they are. If you can use a password instead of your face, do so.
- Don’t give everything up. Biometric data is very sensitive. You shouldn’t give everything you have to a company right away. As you now know, you have different biometric data available: fingerprints, face, voice, etc. Use one at a time. That way, if a breach happens, you only get a part of your biometric data compromised.
- Check the terms before you agree. It’s important to know what a company will do with your information. You should check the terms and conditions every time before you accept them, though you probably seldom do. However, your biometric data is important – and you should see if you’re giving a company rights to use them as they see fit.
Has Face Recognition Been Breached Before?
It’s almost impossible to hack face recognition. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean biometric databases haven’t been breached before. The ugly side of facial recognition is that hackers can get your data – because databases aren’t as secure as biometric use.
For example, when the American army started retreating from Afghanistan, the Taliban got access to a biometric database that showed who collaborated with the American regime. That database included personal information, fingerprints, and a few more things the new regime used to hunt dissidents.
Does that mean you should shy away from face recognition? Maybe. However, it’s only a matter of time before this technology becomes widespread, so you may not get to decide anyway.
Conclusion
Face recognition has many uses, benefits, and issues. Those who want to error on the side of caution should avoid it as much as possible. Companies see it as an efficient way to replace old practices, such as password use, so most should get ready to use face identifier software in one way or the other sometime soon. If you have any more questions on facial recognition, we at U.S. Cybersecurity stand ready to assist.