​​​​​​​Top 5 Attributes for Selecting the Right Biometrics Authentication Vendor

Today, biometrics solutions extend far beyond fingerprint and facial scanning. Savvy businesses are looking to biometrics authentication technologies for broader applications that deliver a competitive advantage. Biometrics can create more positive experiences for customers, while adding an additional level of security and more operational efficiency. Frost & Sullivan projects global spending on new biometrics solutions to reach more than $41 billion by 2030.

Digital transformation requires flexible, scalable and customizable identity confirmation throughout your organization. With hundreds of vendors offering biometrics authentication solutions — how can you know which is the best option for your business?

Here are some important factors that should be considered:

1. Multimodal Biometrics Options

Building easy-to-use identity confirmation solutions for access or transactions require the ability to create custom configurations. Top vendors offer comprehensive end-to-end portfolios with a wide range of proven multimodal biometrics identification hardware and software platforms.

Scoping the right solution requires the flexibility to choose from among the full breadth of technologies available, including single or multiple fingerprint scans, facial scans, iris scans, gait or movement analysis, palm or palm vein scanning, or behavioral patterns. Transformation at this scale is driven by simplifying workflows. Many vendors even offer SDKs that enable your organization to develop its own, completely custom, in-house offering.

2. Track Record of Innovation

Companies recognized for their standard of innovation strive to develop faster, more secure solutions with ever-greater precision. Their business depends on maintaining a competitive edge through technological advancements that push the limits of known biometrics authentication technologies.

Many biometrics authentication solutions are leveraging cutting-edge automation — such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) algorithms. These technologies help to deliver a new level of accuracy in the confirmation process, preventing fraud, spoofing and even human error. Innovative technologies give your organization the added advantage of positioning you ahead of the curve with the latest advances and best performance.

3. Security Capabilities

Although there are a multitude of compelling business drivers for biometrics authentication technologies, maintaining security from a data and access perspective must always be central to any digital transformation. Biometrics identification solutions designed with Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDL) and a Privacy by Design approach provide maximum security and privacy in the market. This process sets regulatory compliance and testing as a priority, which minimizes business risks and meets worldwide privacy regulations.

Comprehensive solutions offer user control, decentralization and more anti-spoof capabilities to protect user privacy and overall security of biometrics template data. Companies, such as HID, provide an even higher level of protection against spoof attacks. Check out this white paper to learn more about the HID-patented multispectral imaging (MSI) fingerprint technology, which achieved iBeta presentation attack detection (PAD) Level II compliance.

4. Interoperability and Open Integration

Integration simplicity is always a top requirement for new biometrics technology deployments, and in many instances, there are biometrics-as-a-service options. To allow optimal flexibility and avoid vendor lock-in, look for providers that offer diverse hardware and software options, as well as a feature expansion process when new capabilities are released. Open integration requires biometrics authentication portfolios be compatible with most, if not all, digital identity solutions and legacy systems.

5. Company Growth Potential

A key consideration when selecting a biometrics authentication provider is the company’s stability and longevity as a business. Will they be around in the coming years to provide support or upgrades, if necessary? Become acquainted with not only the solutions they offer, but how the company is managed. It’s important to understand their vision and growth strategy, as well as their ability to execute.

There are a number of reports available that share insights into the biometrics industry overall, as well as growth performance indicators of individual biometrics technology companies. A recent Frost & Sullivan report, The Frost Radar™: Biometrics Authentication Solutions, 2022, assessed the performance of 19 global biometrics authentication vendors. The report outlined each company’s ability to develop products, services and solutions demanded by customers — and their ever-changing needs — worldwide.

Focused on innovation and growth indicators, Frost & Sullivan evaluated the effectiveness of the sales and marketing strategies to predict the growth potential in the industry reaching end-users. The company should be able to support a global client base in both the private and public sectors, pivot in response to customer requirements in new verticals and deliver a frictionless onboarding and enrollment process. The future health of biometrics companies is dictated by its ability to accommodate the technology needs of different customer groups.

Ultimately, you want a biometrics authentication solution that offers the optimal level of accuracy, processing speed, security and convenience for your budget. The Frost Radar evaluates and ranks the top biometrics authentication technology providers for innovation and growth potential. For more information, read the full Frost Radar report.

Roland Fournier leads the Product and Solutions team for the Biometrics Business Unit at HID's Extended Access Technologies business area. Roland has an extensive experience in all phases of product management and product marketing servicing identity and workforce management, security, wireless and networking marketplace. Prior to joining HID, Roland was Senior Director of Product Management at IDEMIA where he was responsible for Product Management for civil identity and biometric solutions servicing the public sector. Before that, he held product management positions at Kronos and RSA Security.